Living in Birmingham, AL
Mid-size city in Alabama
Birmingham is a mid-size city in Alabama, home to about 199,000 people, with 869,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Birmingham a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $109k and rents for $1,580 a month
- Low taxes: about $1,147 state income tax per resident, 0.67% property tax
- Easy flying: BHM is 4 mi away
- Strong healthcare: 1 top-rated (4–5★) hospital within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 869,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Fewer graduates: 31% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Birmingham ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Birmingham: common questions
What is the cost of living in Birmingham?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $109k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,580 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Birmingham?
Alabama collects about $1,147 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.67% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Birmingham safe?
Birmingham isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in Birmingham?
Birmingham has mild winters: winter days average around 57°F and summer days around 90°F.
Does Birmingham get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 16 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.84 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Birmingham?
The nearest major airport is BHM, about 4 mi away.
How Birmingham scores
Each bar compares Birmingham with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Birmingham right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.