Living in Huntsville, AL
Mid-size city in Alabama
Huntsville is a mid-size city in Alabama, home to about 219,000 people, with 457,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Huntsville a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: about $1,147 state income tax per resident, 0.48% property tax
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $271k and rents for $1,690 a month
- Dog-friendly: 19 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 457,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Huntsville ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Huntsville: common questions
What is the cost of living in Huntsville?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $271k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,690 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Huntsville?
Alabama collects about $1,147 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.48% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Huntsville safe?
Huntsville 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 Huntsville?
Huntsville has mild winters: winter days average around 55°F and summer days around 91°F, with roughly 2″ of snow a year.
Does Huntsville get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Huntsville?
The nearest major airport is BHM, about 79 mi away.
How Huntsville scores
Each bar compares Huntsville 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 Huntsville right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.