Residential comparison · 13 facts
Birmingham, AL vs Huntsville, 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 Birmingham needs about $83,000 in Huntsville to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Huntsville, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,000 in Birmingham.
A few differences
- Huntsville is lower on property tax rate (0.45% vs 0.75%).
- Huntsville is lower on sales tax (9% vs 10%).
- Huntsville is lower on groceries index (96 vs 97).
Birmingham vs Huntsville · facet by facet
| Facet | Birmingham, AL | Huntsville, AL |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $130,000 | $330,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,350/mo | $1,400/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.45% |
| State & local income tax | 5.41% | 4.41% |
| Sales tax | 10% | 9% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 90 |
| Groceries index | 97 | 96 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $42,000 | $71,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 68/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 4.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days | 213 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: Birmingham, AL · Huntsville, AL
Questions & answers
- Is Birmingham cheaper than Huntsville?
- Birmingham has the lower day-to-day cost index (88 vs 90 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Huntsville equals $85,000 in Birmingham?
- A household earning $85,000 in Birmingham needs about $83,000 in Huntsville to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Huntsville lifestyle costs about $87,000 in Birmingham.