Residential comparison · 13 facts
Alabaster, AL vs Birmingham, AL
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Alabaster needs about $87,000 in Birmingham to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Birmingham, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Alabaster.
A few differences
- Alabaster is lower on property tax rate (0.4% vs 0.75%).
- Alabaster is lower on sales tax (9.3% vs 10%).
- Alabaster is higher on median household income ($91,357 vs $42,000).
Alabaster vs Birmingham · facet by facet
| Facet | Alabaster, AL | Birmingham, AL |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $261,700 | $130,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,210/mo | $1,350/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.4% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 4.41% | 5.41% |
| Sales tax | 9.3% | 10% |
| Cost of living index | 86 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 97 | 97 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $91,357 | $42,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 4% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 68/100 |
| School rating | 4.3/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 215 days | 205 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Alabaster, AL · Birmingham, AL
Questions & answers
- Is Alabaster cheaper than Birmingham?
- Alabaster has the lower day-to-day cost index (86 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Birmingham equals $85,000 in Alabaster?
- A household earning $85,000 in Alabaster needs about $87,000 in Birmingham to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Birmingham lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Alabaster.