Cost of living in Highland Lakes 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 Highland Lakes 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 Highland Lakes is 143, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Highland Lakes is 1.4x higher than the national average.
Highland Lakes ranks as the #118 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Highland Lakes ranks as the #5,499 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Highland Lakes is $671,258.
The median income in Highland Lakes is $169,833.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Highland Lakes has an overall cost of living index of 143, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Highland Lakes has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Highland Lakes ranks as #118 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Highland Lakes ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Highland Lakes, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Highland Lakes. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Highland Lakes is 97.
The Groceries index in Highland Lakes is 98.
The Health index in Highland Lakes is 92.
The Housing index in Highland Lakes is 245.
The Transportation index in Highland Lakes is 91.
The Utilities index in Highland Lakes is 110.
| Living Expense | Highland Lakes | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 143 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 245 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 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 Highland Lakes is $671,258.
The Median Rent in Highland Lakes is -.
The Median Income in Highland Lakes is $169,833.
The Home Value To Income in Highland Lakes is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Highland Lakes is nanx.
| Statistic | Highland Lakes | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $671,258 | $232,780 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | - | $963 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $169,833 | $62,027 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 3.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | nanx | 0.19x | 0.21x |
| Item | Highland Lakes | 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 | Highland Lakes | 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 | Highland Lakes | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $92.33 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $101.83 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $125.78 | $113.29 |
| Item | Highland Lakes | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.13 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $54.52 | $59.92 |
| Item | Highland Lakes | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $219.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $188.55 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Highland Lakes. 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, 0.6x Highland Lakes.
Vestavia Hills, AL has a cost of living index of 126, 0.9x Highland Lakes.
Trussville, AL has a cost of living index of 109, 0.8x Highland Lakes.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Highland Lakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 0.6x |
| Vestavia Hills, AL | 38,704 | 126 | 0.9x |
| Trussville, AL | 26,182 | 109 | 0.8x |
| Bessemer, AL | 25,655 | 88 | 0.6x |
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 0.7x |
| Mountain Brook, AL | 22,160 | 161 | 1.1x |
| Calera, AL | 17,188 | 97 | 0.7x |
| Center Point, AL | 16,125 | 89 | 0.6x |
| Chelsea, AL | 15,731 | 109 | 0.8x |
| Irondale, AL | 13,462 | 96 | 0.7x |