Huntsville vs Tuscaloosa
Huntsville, Alabama versus Tuscaloosa, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Huntsville and Tuscaloosa score about the same overall (45 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Huntsville | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $48k |
| Home Value | $236k | $228k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $980 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.48% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.81% | 10.36% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 6.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.3 in | 51.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 264 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 72 days | 74 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.3 | 46.6 |
| Air Quality | 30 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.2 | 47.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1819/100k | 2707/100k |
| Property Crime | 1946/100k | 2905/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 215,025 | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 28.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+15 |
| White (%) | 56.9% | 48.6% |
| Black (%) | 30.2% | 42.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.4% | 4.2% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 1.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 5.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 79 mi | 45 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 83.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.14 | 3.69 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Huntsville or Tuscaloosa more affordable?
- Tuscaloosa has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Huntsville's $50k and Tuscaloosa's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Huntsville versus $980 in Tuscaloosa.
- Is Huntsville or Tuscaloosa safer?
- Huntsville has the lower violent crime rate. Huntsville reports 1819/100k and Tuscaloosa reports 2707/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Huntsville or Tuscaloosa?
- The median home value is $236k in Huntsville and $228k in Tuscaloosa, so homes are more affordable in Tuscaloosa.