Tuscaloosa, AL Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Tuscaloosa, AL Summary
Cost of living in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa is 100, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Tuscaloosa is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Tuscaloosa ranks as the #96 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Tuscaloosa ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Tuscaloosa is $227,994.
The median income in Tuscaloosa is $48,536.
Table Of Contents
Tuscaloosa's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Tuscaloosa, AL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Tuscaloosa has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Tuscaloosa has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Tuscaloosa ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Tuscaloosa ranks as the #23 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Tuscaloosa, check out:
In Alabama
In America
Tuscaloosa Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Tuscaloosa. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Tuscaloosa is 99.
The Groceries index in Tuscaloosa is 98.
The Health index in Tuscaloosa is 93.
The Housing index in Tuscaloosa is 97.
The Transportation index in Tuscaloosa is 92.
The Utilities index in Tuscaloosa is 107.
| Living Expense | Tuscaloosa | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 97 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 107 | 102 | 100 | |
Tuscaloosa, 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 Tuscaloosa is $227,994.
The Median Rent in Tuscaloosa is $1,005.
The Median Income in Tuscaloosa is $48,536.
The Home Value To Income in Tuscaloosa is 4.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Tuscaloosa is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Tuscaloosa | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $227,994 | $232,780 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,005 | $963 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $48,536 | $62,027 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.7x | 3.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Tuscaloosa, AL Costs By Category
Detailed Tuscaloosa Services Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Tuscaloosa | 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 Tuscaloosa Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Tuscaloosa | 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 Tuscaloosa Health Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Tuscaloosa | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $92.33 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $101.83 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $125.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Tuscaloosa Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Tuscaloosa | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.13 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $54.52 | $59.92 |
Detailed Tuscaloosa Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama
| Item | Tuscaloosa | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $219.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $188.55 | $192.25 |
Tuscaloosa SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Tuscaloosa
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Tuscaloosa. 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 Tuscaloosa.
Northport, AL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Tuscaloosa.
Homewood, AL has a cost of living index of 123, 1.2x Tuscaloosa.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Northport, AL | 30,991 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Homewood, AL | 27,697 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Bessemer, AL | 25,655 | 88 | 0.9x |
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Helena, AL | 21,452 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Calera, AL | 17,188 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Hueytown, AL | 16,541 | 91 | 0.9x |
| Jasper, AL | 14,480 | 95 | 0.9x |
| Fairfield, AL | 9,846 | 89 | 0.9x |
