Gardendale, AL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Gardendale, AL Summary

Cost of living in Gardendale 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 Gardendale 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 Gardendale is 100, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Gardendale is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Gardendale ranks as the #96 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.

  • Gardendale ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Gardendale is $262,282.

  • The median income in Gardendale is $81,215.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
100
Gardendale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Gardendale, AL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Gardendale has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alabama, Gardendale has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Alabama's index of 90.

The standard of living in Gardendale ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Gardendale ranks as the #23 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.

For more reading on life in Gardendale, check out:

96 out of 119
In Alabama
2,621 out of 6,489
In America

Gardendale Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Gardendale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Gardendale is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Gardendale is 96.

  • The Health index in Gardendale is 92.

  • The Housing index in Gardendale is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Gardendale is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Gardendale is 109.

Living Expense Gardendale Alabama National Average
Overall 100 90 100
Services 98 97 100
Groceries 96 98 100
Health 92 86 100
Housing 99 74 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 109 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Alabama, check out:
Gardendale Cost of Living Vs. AL

Gardendale, AL Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Gardendale is $262,282.

  • The Median Rent in Gardendale is $1,151.

  • The Median Income in Gardendale is $81,215.

  • The Home Value To Income in Gardendale is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Gardendale is 0.17x.

Statistic Gardendale Alabama United States
Median Home Value $262,282 $232,780 $303,400
Median Rent $1,151 $963 $1,348
Median Income $81,215 $62,027 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.19x 0.21x
$262,282
Median Home Value
$1,151
Median Rent
$81,215
Median Income

Gardendale, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Gardendale Services Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Gardendale 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

Detailed Gardendale Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Gardendale 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

Detailed Gardendale Health Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Gardendale Alabama
Optometrist $92.33 $125.68
Doctor $101.83 $135.78
Dentist $125.78 $113.29

Detailed Gardendale Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Gardendale Alabama
Gasoline $3.13 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.52 $59.92

Detailed Gardendale Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Gardendale Alabama
All Electricity $219.4 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

Gardendale SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Gardendale

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Gardendale. 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, 0.9x Gardendale.

  • Homewood, AL has a cost of living index of 123, 1.2x Gardendale.

  • Trussville, AL has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Gardendale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Gardendale
Birmingham, AL 199,322 90 0.9x
Homewood, AL 27,697 123 1.2x
Trussville, AL 26,182 109 1.1x
Center Point, AL 16,125 89 0.9x
Irondale, AL 13,462 96 1.0x
Moody, AL 13,378 95 0.9x
Leeds, AL 12,221 95 0.9x
Fairfield, AL 9,846 89 0.9x
Fultondale, AL 9,753 97 1.0x
Pleasant Grove, AL 9,502 98 1.0x

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