Opelika vs Phenix City
Opelika, Alabama versus Phenix City, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Opelika and Phenix City score about the same overall (46 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Opelika | Phenix City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $47k |
| Home Value | $192k | $154k |
| Monthly Rent | $872 | $923 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.51% | 0.52% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.84% | 9.78% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 7.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 48°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.2 in | 54.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 262 days | 262 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 36.1 | 32.8 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.0 | 43.6 |
| Violent Crime | 3496/100k | 1456/100k |
| Property Crime | 2777/100k | 2407/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,361 | 38,413 |
| Median Age | 39.6 | 35.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+20 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 53.2% | 40.3% |
| Black (%) | 35.7% | 47.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.8% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 9.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 87 mi | 89 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.1% | 75.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.42 | 20.57 |
| 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 Opelika or Phenix City more affordable?
- Phenix City has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Opelika's $47k and Phenix City's $47k. Median rent is $872 in Opelika versus $923 in Phenix City.
- Is Opelika or Phenix City safer?
- Phenix City has the lower violent crime rate. Opelika reports 3496/100k and Phenix City reports 1456/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Opelika or Phenix City?
- The median home value is $192k in Opelika and $154k in Phenix City, so homes are more affordable in Phenix City.