Calera, AL vs Bessemer, AL

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricCalera, ALBessemer, AL
Population17,71425,400
Median Household Income$87,194$39,613
Median Rent$1,601/mo$961/mo
Median Home Value$235,300$135,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)9292
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income39.8%48.4%
Poverty Rate7.3%27.9%
Unemployment Rate2.2% (county)3.9%
Violent Crime Rate /100k2631,702
Property Crime Rate /100k1,2666,990
Median AQI3652
Good AQI Days /yr—159
Summer Highs90°F91°F
Winter Lows38°F36°F
Snowfall1 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute33 min26.2 min
Hospitals—1
Avg Hospital Rating—3.0 / 5
Students per Teacher18.421.2
College Degree Rate37.1%15.6%
Foreign-Born %4.7%4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+15.2%-3.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.