Alabama
Among the top 20% of US states for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 80% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 76% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 24% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 10% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade F, better than 4% of US states
- top 2% for property tax rate
- top 10% for annual snowfall
- bottom 6% for walkability
Alabama is a U.S. state with about 5,028,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and F for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include property tax rate, annual snowfall, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on summer humidity and walkability.
Official websitealabama.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$61k12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 80% of US states
Home Value$182k12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$926better than 82% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 88% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.40%better than 98% of US states
Income Tax5.08%better than 50% of US states
Sales Tax9.29%better than 8% of US states
Estimated total tax burden9.37%better than 74% of US states
Unemployment5.2%better than 47% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)46°F82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation58.6 in96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.8 inbetter than 90% of US states
Sunny Days248 daysbetter than 80% of US states
Summer Humidity71°Fbetter than 8% of US states
Comfortable Days85 daysbetter than 54% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk82.7better than 43% of US states
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 24% of US states
School Quality43.4better than 18% of US states
Violent Crime1540/100kbetter than 20% of US states
Property Crime1607/100kbetter than 58% of US states
Community
Population5,028,09255th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.359th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4451st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.956th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2684th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)64.6%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)26.2%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.6%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.4%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.2%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 49% of US states
Walkability6.6/20better than 6% of US states
Airport Distance78 mibetter than 27% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.7%better than 12% of US states
Amenities Nearby2.06better than 29% of US states
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 20% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is Alabama an affordable place to live?
- Alabama is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 80% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Alabama?
- The median home value in Alabama is $182k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Alabama?
- Median household income in Alabama is $61k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Alabama?
- Median gross rent in Alabama is $926 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Alabama safe?
- Alabama is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1540/100k (better than 20%). Property crime is 1607/100k.
- What is the weather like in Alabama?
- Alabama averages 81°F in July and 46°F in January, with 58.6 in of annual precipitation and about 248 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Alabama?
- Public-school quality in Alabama is below average, scoring better than 18% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Alabama?
- The average one-way commute in Alabama is 25 min.
Best places to live in Alabama
Top cities in Alabama
Counties in Alabama
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)