Huntsville, AL Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Huntsville, AL Summary
Cost of living in Huntsville 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 Huntsville 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 Huntsville is 99, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Huntsville is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Huntsville ranks as the #93 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Huntsville ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Huntsville is $281,618.
The median income in Huntsville is $70,778.
Table Of Contents
Huntsville's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Huntsville, AL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Huntsville has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Huntsville has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Huntsville ranks as #93 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Huntsville ranks as the #26 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Huntsville, check out:
In Alabama
In America
Huntsville Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Huntsville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Huntsville is 98.
The Groceries index in Huntsville is 98.
The Health index in Huntsville is 91.
The Housing index in Huntsville is 95.
The Transportation index in Huntsville is 93.
The Utilities index in Huntsville is 96.
| Living Expense | Huntsville | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 99 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 95 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 102 | 100 | |
Huntsville, 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 Huntsville is $281,618.
The Median Rent in Huntsville is $1,078.
The Median Income in Huntsville is $70,778.
The Home Value To Income in Huntsville is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Huntsville is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Huntsville | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $281,618 | $232,780 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,078 | $963 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $70,778 | $62,027 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 3.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Huntsville, AL Costs By Category
Detailed Huntsville Services Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Huntsville | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.24 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.52 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.78 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.45 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $52.5 | $45.56 |
Detailed Huntsville Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Huntsville | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.04 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.33 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.16 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.23 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.85 | $3.7 |
Detailed Huntsville Health Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Huntsville | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $104.06 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $130.44 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $113.33 | $113.29 |
Detailed Huntsville Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Huntsville | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.16 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.19 | $59.92 |
Detailed Huntsville Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Huntsville | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $191.34 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $188.01 | $192.25 |
Huntsville SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Huntsville
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Huntsville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Madison, AL has a cost of living index of 107, 1.1x Huntsville.
Decatur, AL has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Huntsville.
Athens, AL has a cost of living index of 91, 0.9x Huntsville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, AL | 58,335 | 107 | 1.1x |
| Decatur, AL | 57,760 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Athens, AL | 27,474 | 91 | 0.9x |
| Albertville, AL | 22,584 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Cullman, AL | 18,894 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Scottsboro, AL | 15,641 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Hartselle, AL | 15,586 | 88 | 0.9x |
| Meridianville, AL | 10,268 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Winchester, TN | 9,600 | 94 | 0.9x |
| Pulaski, TN | 8,305 | 86 | 0.9x |
