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Living in
Northport.
About
Life in Northport
Northport functions as a quieter, residential alternative to nearby Tuscaloosa while remaining tightly integrated with it—most residents work in Tuscaloosa or elsewhere in the county, with an average commute around 23 minutes. The community skews family-oriented (about a third of households have children), with a median age around 36 and a strong majority of residents living in urban rather than rural settings. Arts and culture matter here—Art Night on the first Thursday of each month brings galleries to life, and the Kentuck Festival of the Arts historically drew 20,000 visitors annually, though it recently relocated across the river to Tuscaloosa following a dispute over the city's development plans.
Northport at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Foreign-Born
4.3%
Broadband Internet
91.5%
of households
Population Growth
+1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.3% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Northport: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Northport, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (26.6%), and 4.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.3%
of households
Married Couples
49.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.45
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for AL
Rent, home values, and income in Northport
In Northport, home values are 35% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
87.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$883
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $287,487 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Northport
Unemployment in Northport is 0.5 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Northport Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.7 min avg
How Northport residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Northport, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 53 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 17% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Northport runs 17% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
386.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,286.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Northport Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Tuscaloosa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Tuscaloosa County, which includes Northport, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 11 | Tornado | None reported |
| 2021 | 11 | Flash Flood | $3.4M |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 5 | Drought | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Tuscaloosa County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Tuscaloosa County, which includes Northport, is typically good — 265 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
265
per year
Moderate Days
95
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Tuscaloosa County, county-wide
Climate93°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Northport has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/56°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
57.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
93
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
40
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 36°F | 5.92" |
| Feb | 62°F | 40°F | 5.84" |
| Mar | 71°F | 47°F | 5.06" |
| Apr | 78°F | 54°F | 5.45" |
| May | 85°F | 63°F | 3.78" |
| Jun | 91°F | 70°F | 4.55" |
| Jul | 94°F | 73°F | 4.69" |
| Aug | 93°F | 73°F | 4.80" |
| Sep | 88°F | 67°F | 3.74" |
| Oct | 79°F | 55°F | 3.89" |
| Nov | 67°F | 44°F | 4.64" |
| Dec | 59°F | 39°F | 5.39" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Northport
Uninsured
4.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Northport's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mary S Harper Geriatric Psychiatry Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.1 mi away · Tuscaloosa
Dch Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Tuscaloosa
Bryce Hospital
Psychiatric · 6 mi away · Tuscaloosa
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Northport
Northport's student/teacher ratio is 16.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
38.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Northport (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 33,227 students · in-state tuition $12,484 · 72% graduate · median earnings $66,081 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 706 students · in-state tuition $12,700 · 34% graduate · median earnings $40,800 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Northport
Northport has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
49 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
85 mi awayNatchez Trace Parkway
Parkway
90 mi awayTupelo National Battlefield
National Battlefield
95 mi awayNatchez Trace National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
98 mi awayCities Near Northport
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Northport?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Northport FAQ
Is Northport, Alabama affordable?⌄
Northport's median rent is $982/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $80,913/year. Median home value is $282,600.
Is Northport, Alabama safe?⌄
Northport's violent crime rate was 387 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1286 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Northport, Alabama?⌄
Northport has an unemployment rate of 2.4%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Northport, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Northport is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $982/month and median household income is $80,913/year. The median home value is $282,600. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Northport, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Northport is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from