Birmingham vs Northport
Birmingham, Alabama versus Northport, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Northport edges out Birmingham on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Birmingham | Northport |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $48k |
| Home Value | $123k | $240k |
| Monthly Rent | $995 | $936 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.33% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.10% | 9.17% |
| Unemployment | 7.5% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 46°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.3 in | 57.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 264 days | 264 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 72.4 | 55.3 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.3 | 38.2 |
| Violent Crime | 3419/100k | 1858/100k |
| Property Crime | 4245/100k | 1676/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 30,714 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 33.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.44 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 23.4% | 68.4% |
| Black (%) | 68.4% | 26.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.0% | 2.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.5% | 0.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.7% | 1.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 53 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.4% | 91.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.97 | 40.70 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Northport more affordable?
- Northport has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Birmingham's $49k and Northport's $48k. Median rent is $995 in Birmingham versus $936 in Northport.
- Is Birmingham or Northport safer?
- Northport has the lower violent crime rate. Birmingham reports 3419/100k and Northport reports 1858/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Birmingham or Northport?
- The median home value is $123k in Birmingham and $240k in Northport, so homes are more affordable in Birmingham.