What it's like to live in Birmingham
Birmingham is a mid-size city in Alabama with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Birmingham deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Birmingham compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Birmingham
Based on Birmingham's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,214
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,280 a year
- 52% of Birmingham renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$31,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $15,880
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 22% below US
$1,107/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,107 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $158,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $158,800 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 276% above US
1239 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4466/100k · Birmingham Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
8 hospitals
There are 8 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 14% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
52 public schools inside the boundary
There are 52 public schools inside the boundary and 27 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (1 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Birmingham's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,107/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Birmingham
All Alabama guides →Moving to Mountain Brook →
4 mi away · pop. 22,029
Rent $1,456/mo · Income $201,479
Compare with Birmingham →Moving to Vestavia Hills →
6 mi away · pop. 38,616
Rent $1,515/mo · Income $134,369
Compare with Birmingham →Not sure Birmingham is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.