Jefferson County vs Madison County
Jefferson County, Alabama versus Madison County, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Jefferson County and Madison County score about the same overall (42 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jefferson County | Madison County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $50k |
| Home Value | $209k | $243k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.61% | 0.41% |
| Income Tax | 5.59% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.67% | 9.33% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 45°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1 in | 57.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.3 in | 2.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.6 | 94.6 |
| Air Quality | 61 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.9 | 38.7 |
| Violent Crime | 2021/100k | 1232/100k |
| Property Crime | 2681/100k | 1269/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 672,265 | 389,781 |
| Median Age | 37.9 | 38.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | Even |
| White (%) | 48.9% | 63.5% |
| Black (%) | 42.6% | 24.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.2% | 5.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.7% | 2.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.6% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 8.9/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 82 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.0% | 90.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.70 | 6.03 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Jefferson County or Madison County more affordable?
- Jefferson County has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Jefferson County's $49k and Madison County's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Jefferson County versus $1k in Madison County.
- Is Jefferson County or Madison County safer?
- Madison County has the lower violent crime rate. Jefferson County reports 2021/100k and Madison County reports 1232/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jefferson County or Madison County?
- The median home value is $209k in Jefferson County and $243k in Madison County, so homes are more affordable in Jefferson County.