What it's like to live in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa 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. Tuscaloosa deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Tuscaloosa compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Tuscaloosa
Based on Tuscaloosa's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,110
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,200 a year
- 52% of Tuscaloosa renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$51,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,550
- Homes cost 5.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,055/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,055 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 $255,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $255,500 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 21% below US
3.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 46% above US
480 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2377/100k · Tuscaloosa Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°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
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
39% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 39% 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
22 public schools inside the boundary
There are 22 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (45 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Tuscaloosa'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 ($1,055/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Tuscaloosa
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