Cost of living in Forestdale 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 Forestdale 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 Forestdale is 91, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Forestdale is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Forestdale ranks as the #55 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Forestdale ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Forestdale is $170,058.
The median income in Forestdale is $57,145.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Forestdale has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Forestdale has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Forestdale ranks as #55 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Forestdale ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Forestdale, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Forestdale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Forestdale is 97.
The Groceries index in Forestdale is 96.
The Health index in Forestdale is 96.
The Housing index in Forestdale is 69.
The Transportation index in Forestdale is 93.
The Utilities index in Forestdale is 108.
| Living Expense | Forestdale | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 91 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 69 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 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 Forestdale is $170,058.
The Median Rent in Forestdale is $1,094.
The Median Income in Forestdale is $57,145.
The Home Value To Income in Forestdale is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Forestdale is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Forestdale | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $170,058 | $232,780 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,094 | $963 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $57,145 | $62,027 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.0x | 3.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
| Item | Forestdale | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.33 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.54 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.37 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.07 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $45.74 | $45.56 |
| Item | Forestdale | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.01 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.66 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.54 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.23 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.99 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.4 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.76 | $3.7 |
| Item | Forestdale | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $92.33 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $101.83 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $125.78 | $113.29 |
| Item | Forestdale | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.13 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $54.52 | $59.92 |
| Item | Forestdale | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $219.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $188.55 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Forestdale. 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 Forestdale.
Homewood, AL has a cost of living index of 123, 1.4x Forestdale.
Bessemer, AL has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Forestdale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Forestdale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Homewood, AL | 27,697 | 123 | 1.4x |
| Bessemer, AL | 25,655 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Hueytown, AL | 16,541 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Center Point, AL | 16,125 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Gardendale, AL | 16,110 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Irondale, AL | 13,462 | 96 | 1.1x |
| Leeds, AL | 12,221 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Fairfield, AL | 9,846 | 89 | 1.0x |