Alabaster vs Bessemer
Alabaster, Alabama versus Bessemer, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Alabaster edges out Bessemer on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alabaster | Bessemer |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $35k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $49k |
| Home Value | $227k | $119k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $879 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.71% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.21% | 11.46% |
| Unemployment | 3.0% | 10.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.7 in | 58.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2 in | 1.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 264 days | 264 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 61.1 | 36.8 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.6 | 47.4 |
| Violent Crime | 845/100k | 4283/100k |
| Property Crime | 2102/100k | 7528/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 33,417 | 25,890 |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 41.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.45 | 0.44 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.87 |
| Political Leaning | R+41 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 69.4% | 18.4% |
| Black (%) | 17.6% | 72.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.8% | 6.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 0.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 6.3/20 | 11.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 24 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.9% | 78.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 13.77 | 15.84 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Alabaster or Bessemer more affordable?
- Bessemer has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Alabaster's $56k and Bessemer's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Alabaster versus $879 in Bessemer.
- Is Alabaster or Bessemer safer?
- Alabaster has the lower violent crime rate. Alabaster reports 845/100k and Bessemer reports 4283/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alabaster or Bessemer?
- The median home value is $227k in Alabaster and $119k in Bessemer, so homes are more affordable in Bessemer.