Cost of living in Hartselle 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 Hartselle 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 Hartselle is 88, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Hartselle is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Hartselle ranks as the #33 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Hartselle ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Hartselle is $237,059.
The median income in Hartselle is $67,863.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Hartselle has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Hartselle has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Hartselle ranks as #33 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Hartselle ranks as the #86 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Hartselle, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Hartselle. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Hartselle is 97.
The Groceries index in Hartselle is 98.
The Health index in Hartselle is 82.
The Housing index in Hartselle is 80.
The Transportation index in Hartselle is 90.
The Utilities index in Hartselle is 97.
| Living Expense | Hartselle | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 88 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 82 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 80 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 97 | 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 Hartselle is $237,059.
The Median Rent in Hartselle is $751.
The Median Income in Hartselle is $67,863.
The Home Value To Income in Hartselle is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Hartselle is 0.13x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Hartselle. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Huntsville, AL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x Hartselle.
Madison, AL has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Hartselle.
Decatur, AL has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Hartselle.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Hartselle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 218,814 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Madison, AL | 58,335 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Decatur, AL | 57,760 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Florence, AL | 41,231 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Athens, AL | 27,474 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Albertville, AL | 22,584 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Cullman, AL | 18,894 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Muscle Shoals, AL | 16,670 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Jasper, AL | 14,480 | 95 | 1.1x |