The population of Phenix City, Alabama is 36,487 people. The city is located in Lee and Russell counties and observes Eastern time. Phenix City is tied to Columbus, Ohio economically. A majority of Phenix City is a part of the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area. A small portion of Phenix City is also a part of Auburn, Alabama. The entire city is included in the Columbus-Auburn-Opelika Combined Statistical Area.
In 2000, the population of Phenix City was 36,870 people. A majority of the population was white, with the remaining percentages being African American, Hispanic, or two or more races. Almost one-third of the population was classified as Hispanic, and the rest were unclassified. Moreover, a quarter of the population identified as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Despite its relatively small population, Phenix City is a vibrant, historic community. A national Little League team from Phenix City advanced to the finals of the Little League World Series in 1999. The city also appears in several films, including The Silence of the Lambs, Driving Miss Daisy, and Thunder Road. In the latter two, a character played by Robert Mitchum mentions the drug market in Phenix City. The novel Wicked City was also set in this city.
The median family and household incomes in Phenix City, Alabama, were $26,720 and $33,740, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of the city's population is below the poverty line, and 21.3% of the city's population has at least a high school diploma. These figures show the diversity of Phenix City's population. A population breakdown like this is a snapshot of the state of the local economy and is an indicator of the local economic health.