Cost of living in Bessemer 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 Bessemer 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 Bessemer is 88, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Bessemer is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Bessemer ranks as the #33 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Bessemer ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Bessemer is $131,192.
The median income in Bessemer is $37,844.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bessemer has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Bessemer has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Alabama's index of 87.
The standard of living in Bessemer ranks as #33 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Bessemer ranks as the #86 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Bessemer, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bessemer. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Bessemer is 99.
The Groceries index in Bessemer is 99.
The Health index in Bessemer is 94.
The Housing index in Bessemer is 63.
The Transportation index in Bessemer is 89.
The Utilities index in Bessemer is 110.
| Living Expense | Bessemer | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 88 | 87 | 100 | |
| Services | 99 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 94 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 88 | 100 | |
| Housing | 63 | 73 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 89 | 90 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 104 | 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 Bessemer is $131,192.
The Median Rent in Bessemer is $922.
The Median Income in Bessemer is $37,844.
The Home Value To Income in Bessemer is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Bessemer is 0.29x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bessemer. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Birmingham, AL has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Bessemer.
Hoover, AL has a cost of living index of 111, 1.3x Bessemer.
Alabaster, AL has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Bessemer.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Bessemer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Hoover, AL | 92,401 | 111 | 1.3x |
| Alabaster, AL | 33,633 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Homewood, AL | 27,697 | 123 | 1.4x |
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 1.2x |
| Helena, AL | 21,452 | 104 | 1.2x |
| Hueytown, AL | 16,541 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Chelsea, AL | 15,731 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Fairfield, AL | 9,846 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Pleasant Grove, AL | 9,502 | 98 | 1.1x |