Baldwin County vs Jefferson County
Baldwin County, Alabama versus Jefferson County, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Baldwin County and Jefferson County score about the same overall (45 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Baldwin County | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $49k |
| Home Value | $266k | $209k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.30% | 0.61% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.59% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.19% | 10.67% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 68.8 in | 58.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1 in | 1.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 114 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.7 | 97.6 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 61 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.9 | 49.9 |
| Violent Crime | 809/100k | 2021/100k |
| Property Crime | 1103/100k | 2681/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 233,420 | 672,265 |
| Median Age | 43.7 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.29 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+55 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 82.3% | 48.9% |
| Black (%) | 8.3% | 42.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 4.2% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 2.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 6.8/20 | 8.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 161 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.9% | 87.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.70 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Baldwin County or Jefferson County more affordable?
- Jefferson County has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Baldwin County's $51k and Jefferson County's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Baldwin County versus $1k in Jefferson County.
- Is Baldwin County or Jefferson County safer?
- Baldwin County has the lower violent crime rate. Baldwin County reports 809/100k and Jefferson County reports 2021/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Baldwin County or Jefferson County?
- The median home value is $266k in Baldwin County and $209k in Jefferson County, so homes are more affordable in Jefferson County.