What it's like to live in Scottsboro
Scottsboro 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 schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Scottsboro deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Scottsboro compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Scottsboro
Based on Scottsboro's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,660
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,200 a year
- 48% of Scottsboro renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,040
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 41% below US
$830/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $830 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $190,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $190,400 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jackson County is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jackson County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 15% below US
280 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2230/100k · Scottsboro Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 10% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 37% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Russell Cave National Monument (26 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Scottsboro'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 a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($830/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low).
Other places near Scottsboro
All Alabama guides →Moving to Fort Payne →
24 mi away · pop. 14,927
Rent $679/mo · Income $47,479
Compare with Scottsboro →Moving to Albertville →
28 mi away · pop. 22,813
Rent $872/mo · Income $56,099
Compare with Scottsboro →Not sure Scottsboro is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.