Birmingham vs Gadsden
Birmingham, Alabama versus Gadsden, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Birmingham and Gadsden score about the same overall (44 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Birmingham | Gadsden |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $40k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $42k |
| Home Value | $123k | $97k |
| Monthly Rent | $995 | $765 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.53% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 7.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.10% | 11.36% |
| Unemployment | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.3 in | 57.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 264 days | 254 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 72.4 | 53.8 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.3 | 49.1 |
| Violent Crime | 3419/100k | 3472/100k |
| Property Crime | 4245/100k | 4018/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 33,881 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | R+51 |
| White (%) | 23.4% | 50.4% |
| Black (%) | 68.4% | 37.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.0% | 8.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 52 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.4% | 81.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.97 | 19.18 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
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 Birmingham or Gadsden more affordable?
- Gadsden has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Birmingham's $49k and Gadsden's $42k. Median rent is $995 in Birmingham versus $765 in Gadsden.
- Is Birmingham or Gadsden safer?
- Birmingham has the lower violent crime rate. Birmingham reports 3419/100k and Gadsden reports 3472/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Birmingham or Gadsden?
- The median home value is $123k in Birmingham and $97k in Gadsden, so homes are more affordable in Gadsden.