Shelby County · Alabama · South · 198k residents
Birmingham, AL: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Birmingham: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Alabama median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,333/wk. Alabama's corporate income tax rate is 6.5%. Commercial electricity averages 13.6¢/kWh.
Compare Birmingham side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,333/wk
Corporate income tax
6.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
31.1%
Commercial electricity
13.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Birmingham's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
28/100
Cooling
Ranks Birmingham's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $130,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $105 |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,150/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,350/mo |
| State & local income tax | 5.41% |
| Sales tax | 10% |
| Corporate income tax | 6.5% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,333/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% |
| Commercial electricity | 13.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 32.5/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $125,410 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $78,680 |
| Wage: General manager | $123,560 |
| Wage: Customer service | $40,530 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $35,660 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $54,460 |
| Wage: Electrician | $56,630 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $31,450 |
| Cost of living index | 88 |
| Groceries index | 97 |
| Utilities | $175/mo |
| Transit pass | $45/mo |
| Gas price | $2.95/gal |
| Healthcare index | 96 |
| Childcare (per child) | $950/mo |
| Median household income | $42,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% |
| Population | 198k |
| Crime index | 68/100 |
| School rating | 4.5/10 |
| Walkability | 36/100 |
| Disaster risk | 90/100 |
| Avg. commute | 24 min |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days |
| July high | 91°F |
| January low | 35°F |
| Annual snowfall | 1 in |
| Home price YoY | -2.1% |
| Home price MoM | -0.7% |
| Rent YoY | +1.4% |
| Rent MoM | +0.1% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -0.7% |
| Building permits YoY | -14.3% |
| Ocean coast | 208 mi |
| Big lake | 62 mi |
| Mountains | 52 mi |
| Major airport | 11 mi |
| Ski resort | 241 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Vestavia Hills, AL · 39k
- Chelsea, AL · 16k
- Hoover, AL · 93k
- Mountain Brook, AL · 22k
- Homewood, AL · 28k
Similar size
- Montgomery, AL · 197k
- Mobile, AL · 203k
- Huntsville, AL · 223k
- Tuscaloosa, AL · 111k
- Auburn, AL · 81k
Real listings in Birmingham
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Birmingham a good place to run a business?
- Alabama's corporate income tax rate is 6.5%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,333/wk; commercial electricity averages 13.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Birmingham, AL?
- Birmingham indexes at 88 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,350/mo and a median home value of $130,000.
- How much does a house cost in Birmingham?
- The median home value in Birmingham is $130,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Birmingham?
- A two-bedroom in Birmingham rents for about $1,350/mo.