What it's like to live in Cullman
Cullman is a small city in Alabama with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county 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. Cullman deals with household incomes below the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and very rainy.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High poverty rate
- Very rainy — 60" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cullman compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cullman
Based on Cullman's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,850
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,000 a year
- 34% of Cullman renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,780
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,890
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 35% below US
$925/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $925 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $238,900. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $238,900 · 34% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cullman County is 2.5%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cullman County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 27% below US
241 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2665/100k · Cullman Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 21% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 10% below US
32% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 32% 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
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (46 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cullman'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 hospital ratings below the national average. A year of median rent ($925/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime.
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