Cost of living in Alabaster research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Alabaster is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alabama, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Alabaster is 97, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Alabaster is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Alabaster ranks as the #89 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Alabaster ranks as the #2,245 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Alabaster is $297,019.
The median income in Alabaster is $90,163.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Alabaster has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Alabaster has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Alabaster ranks as #89 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Alabaster ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Alabaster, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Alabaster. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Alabaster is 100.
The Groceries index in Alabaster is 95.
The Health index in Alabaster is 96.
The Housing index in Alabaster is 103.
The Transportation index in Alabaster is 93.
The Utilities index in Alabaster is 106.
| Living Expense | Alabaster | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 103 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 102 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alabama, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Alabaster is $297,019.
The Median Rent in Alabaster is $1,375.
The Median Income in Alabaster is $90,163.
The Home Value To Income in Alabaster is 3.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Alabaster is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Alabaster. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hoover, AL has a cost of living index of 111, 1.1x Alabaster.
Homewood, AL has a cost of living index of 123, 1.3x Alabaster.
Bessemer, AL has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x Alabaster.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Alabaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoover, AL | 92,401 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Homewood, AL | 27,697 | 123 | 1.3x |
| Bessemer, AL | 25,655 | 88 | 0.9x |
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Mountain Brook, AL | 22,160 | 161 | 1.7x |
| Helena, AL | 21,452 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Calera, AL | 17,188 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Hueytown, AL | 16,541 | 91 | 0.9x |
| Chelsea, AL | 15,731 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Fairfield, AL | 9,846 | 89 | 0.9x |