Cost of living in Hoover 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 Hoover 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 Hoover is 111, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Hoover is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Hoover ranks as the #111 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Hoover ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Hoover is $427,344.
The median income in Hoover is $107,822.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Hoover has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Hoover has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Hoover ranks as #111 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Hoover ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Hoover, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Hoover. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Hoover is 99.
The Groceries index in Hoover is 95.
The Health index in Hoover is 95.
The Housing index in Hoover is 149.
The Transportation index in Hoover is 93.
The Utilities index in Hoover is 106.
| Living Expense | Hoover | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 111 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 95 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 149 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 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 Hoover is $427,344.
The Median Rent in Hoover is $1,404.
The Median Income in Hoover is $107,822.
The Home Value To Income in Hoover is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Hoover is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Hoover. 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, 0.8x Hoover.
Vestavia Hills, AL has a cost of living index of 126, 1.1x Hoover.
Homewood, AL has a cost of living index of 123, 1.1x Hoover.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Hoover | 
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 0.8x | 
| Vestavia Hills, AL | 38,704 | 126 | 1.1x | 
| Homewood, AL | 27,697 | 123 | 1.1x | 
| Bessemer, AL | 25,655 | 88 | 0.8x | 
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 0.9x | 
| Mountain Brook, AL | 22,160 | 161 | 1.5x | 
| Helena, AL | 21,452 | 104 | 0.9x | 
| Calera, AL | 17,188 | 97 | 0.9x | 
| Hueytown, AL | 16,541 | 91 | 0.8x | 
| Center Point, AL | 16,125 | 89 | 0.8x |