Editor’s Note: This is not investment advice, and we are not financial advisers.
Suppose real estate is the most significant investment a majority of people make in their lifetime. In that case, it’s best to understand the places in Alabama with best potential return on investment.
After working in real estate adjacent roles for over a decade, I had the hypothesis that the best place to buy for a return on investment would be up-and-coming cities. Smaller cities where crime might be high now, but people still move to.
To test my hypothesis, we are going to look at places in Alabama that are growing faster than average, but where home prices are below average, and crime rates are higher than average.
In everyday terms, these might be “deals”. The best deal in Alabama at the moment according to Saturday Night Science? That would be Springville.
2.7% population growth · -0.0% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1.8% population growth · 2.5% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1.5% population growth · 5.7% home price growth
Located in
Tallapoosa County, Alabama
Tallassee is a city on the Tallapoosa River, located in both Elmore and Tallapoosa counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2010 census the population was 4,819. It is home to a major hydroelectric power plant at Thurlow Dam operated by Alabama Power Company.
Data | Movers
-1.1% population growth · 5.3% home price growth
Data | Movers
1.6% population growth · 3.2% home price growth
Rainsville is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 4,948, up from 4,499 in 2000. Rainsville is located on top of Sand Mountain, a southern extension of the Cumberland Plateau.
Rainsville was incorporated in October 1956.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-0.1% population growth · 1.1% home price growth
Glencoe is a city in Calhoun and Etowah counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is part of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city incorporated in 1939.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-0.9% population growth · 3.3% home price growth
Located in
Escambia County, Alabama
Brewton is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census, the population was 5,408. The city is the county seat of Escambia County. Brewton is located in south central Alabama, just north of the Florida Panhandle. Brewton has been voted one of the 100 best small towns in America.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-0.5% population growth · 0.9% home price growth
Located in
Mobile County, Alabama
Chickasaw is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census the population is 6,106, a decline from 6,364 in 2000. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
4.1% population growth · 0.3% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-1.2% population growth · 3.1% home price growth
Located in
Monroe County, Alabama
Monroeville is a city in Monroe County, Alabama, United States, the county seat of Monroe County. At the 2010 census its population was 6,519.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Alabama’s statewide median.
Alabama statewide median: $236,453
On the map
Where Alabama’s best buys are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine the best places to buy a home in Alabama for 2026?
We were in real estate for almost five years and have worked on this site for over a decade. Suffice it to say we’ve put a lot of thought into finding an excellent place to buy a home.
So all that thinking has come to this moment where we get to spell out how we’d approach finding an up-and-coming place to live in Alabama. Put differently, the analysis will try to find places in Alabama with undervalued homes relative to pent-up demand using Saturday Night Science.
To do that, we looked at the most recent American Community Survey Census data for 2020-2024 and compared it to the previous vintage. Specifically, we used the following criteria:
- Y-o-Y Change In Population (People want to live here)
- Y-o-Y Change In Median Home Prices (People are willing to pay for it)
- Home Prices Relative To The State Average (It’s still kinda cheap)
We want places that are growing, have seen home prices increase in recent years, and are still “cheap” for Alabama, with these caveats: home prices had to be within 20% of the state average, home prices increased in the last year, and the city had above 5,000 people.
So of the 574 cities and towns in Alabama, only 105 places made it through our initial filters to even be considered.
We then ranked each place from 1 to 105 for the above criteria, with 1 being the best. We averaged the rankings to create a “best place to buy” index, with the place having the lowest index being the best.
Turns out that Springville is the best potential gem in the not-so-rough in the Heart of Dixie.
The full plate
Best Places To Buy A Home In Alabama
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Home Price | Population Change | Home Price Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springville | 5,081 | $321,266 | 2.7% | -0.0% |
| 2 | Headland | 5,217 | $224,992 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| 3 | Tallassee | 5,134 | $192,630 | 1.5% | 5.7% |
| 4 | Midfield | 5,045 | $82,421 | -1.1% | 5.3% |
| 5 | Rainsville | 5,702 | $227,373 | 1.6% | 3.2% |
| 6 | Glencoe | 5,353 | $207,535 | -0.1% | 1.1% |
| 7 | Brewton | 5,186 | $149,232 | -0.9% | 3.3% |
| 8 | Chickasaw | 6,332 | $107,053 | -0.5% | 0.9% |
| 9 | Semmes | 5,626 | $238,190 | 4.1% | 0.3% |
| 10 | Monroeville | 5,802 | $139,433 | -1.2% | 3.1% |
| 11 | Smiths Station | 5,496 | $280,274 | 1.0% | 0.4% |
| 12 | Attalla | 5,775 | $141,964 | -0.9% | 7.7% |
| 13 | Roanoke | 5,336 | $148,369 | 0.1% | 2.2% |
| 14 | Orange Beach | 8,407 | $678,809 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 15 | Satsuma | 6,822 | $237,699 | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| 16 | Tarrant | 5,925 | $77,451 | -1.5% | -0.5% |
| 17 | Lanett | 6,814 | $123,281 | -0.6% | 4.6% |
| 18 | Opp | 6,709 | $118,904 | -0.6% | 2.5% |
| 19 | Oneonta | 6,971 | $213,540 | 0.4% | -0.9% |
| 20 | Hamilton | 6,922 | $172,641 | 0.2% | 2.1% |
| 21 | Demopolis | 6,908 | $152,101 | -1.5% | 2.2% |
| 22 | Robertsdale | 7,194 | $267,052 | 3.0% | -3.8% |
| 23 | Lincoln | 7,305 | $229,657 | 2.4% | -2.3% |
| 24 | Montevallo | 7,556 | $248,376 | 1.7% | 3.2% |
| 25 | Pinson | 7,832 | $216,703 | -0.2% | 0.7% |
| 26 | Greenville | 7,163 | $116,098 | -0.9% | 2.8% |
| 27 | Wetumpka | 7,437 | $278,368 | 3.6% | 3.2% |
| 28 | Arab | 8,679 | $241,411 | 1.2% | 2.0% |
| 29 | Tuskegee | 8,938 | $91,299 | -1.5% | 2.9% |
| 30 | Tuscumbia | 9,115 | $196,275 | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| 31 | Guntersville | 8,916 | $301,985 | 1.7% | 3.3% |
| 32 | Clanton | 8,958 | $217,129 | 1.1% | -0.3% |
| 33 | Andalusia | 8,766 | $170,025 | -0.8% | 5.0% |
| 34 | Southside | 9,483 | $269,901 | 0.8% | -0.7% |
| 35 | Sheffield | 9,340 | $133,841 | 0.1% | 2.6% |
| 36 | Spanish Fort | 10,662 | $379,955 | 2.7% | -3.4% |
| 37 | Valley | 10,277 | $177,525 | -1.2% | 4.5% |
| 38 | Fultondale | 9,384 | $228,868 | -3.8% | 1.6% |
| 39 | Atmore | 8,334 | $154,610 | -0.7% | 4.9% |
| 40 | Bay Minette | 8,295 | $212,243 | 1.0% | -5.5% |
| 41 | Boaz | 10,814 | $209,918 | -0.3% | 4.1% |
| 42 | Rainbow City | 10,284 | $247,414 | 0.7% | 1.7% |
| 43 | Pleasant Grove | 9,442 | $225,144 | -0.6% | 0.7% |
| 44 | Russellville | 10,799 | $178,141 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 45 | Clay | 10,273 | $250,060 | -0.1% | -0.1% |
| 46 | Fairfield | 9,728 | $93,495 | -1.2% | 1.4% |
| 47 | Eufaula | 12,584 | $163,743 | -0.6% | 3.7% |
| 48 | Sylacauga | 12,309 | $166,281 | -0.6% | 2.9% |
| 49 | Gulf Shores | 16,401 | $450,266 | 3.9% | -1.7% |
| 50 | Leeds | 12,028 | $249,223 | -1.6% | 2.4% |
| 51 | Jacksonville | 14,437 | $211,263 | 0.6% | 2.7% |
| 52 | Moody | 13,488 | $259,875 | 0.8% | 1.8% |
| 53 | Irondale | 13,464 | $289,627 | 0.0% | 3.0% |
| 54 | Jasper | 14,442 | $168,864 | -0.3% | 5.0% |
| 55 | Chelsea | 16,260 | $384,778 | 3.4% | 1.1% |
| 56 | Gardendale | 16,534 | $266,523 | 2.6% | 1.6% |
| 57 | Fort Payne | 14,927 | $203,035 | 0.3% | 4.2% |
| 58 | Pell City | 13,587 | $276,450 | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| 59 | Calera | 17,714 | $254,701 | 3.1% | 0.4% |
| 60 | Ozark | 14,327 | $143,766 | -0.1% | 1.3% |
| 61 | Muscle Shoals | 16,951 | $260,072 | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| 62 | Hartselle | 15,847 | $246,208 | 1.7% | 3.9% |
| 63 | Scottsboro | 15,712 | $213,721 | 0.5% | 2.7% |
| 64 | Alexander City | 14,606 | $202,613 | -0.5% | -1.2% |
| 65 | Saraland | 16,404 | $233,993 | 0.6% | -1.0% |
| 66 | Talladega | 14,760 | $143,575 | -1.9% | -0.0% |
| 67 | Hueytown | 16,414 | $163,400 | -0.8% | -0.3% |
| 68 | Center Point | 15,914 | $152,329 | -1.3% | 0.6% |
| 69 | Millbrook | 17,189 | $218,705 | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| 70 | Cullman | 19,319 | $261,636 | 2.2% | 1.1% |
| 71 | Selma | 17,057 | $79,209 | -2.2% | 14.7% |
| 72 | Helena | 21,769 | $363,042 | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| 73 | Troy | 17,716 | $181,784 | -0.1% | 2.0% |
| 74 | Foley | 24,026 | $301,570 | 7.6% | -3.4% |
| 75 | Mountain Brook | 22,029 | $1,028,341 | -0.6% | 4.9% |
| 76 | Oxford | 22,063 | $195,937 | 0.0% | 2.9% |
| 77 | Anniston | 21,271 | $147,195 | -0.5% | 2.6% |
| 78 | Prichard | 18,961 | $57,932 | -0.8% | 11.2% |
| 79 | Albertville | 22,813 | $214,034 | 1.0% | 4.4% |
| 80 | Fairhope | 24,190 | $459,930 | 3.6% | -4.6% |
| 81 | Trussville | 26,673 | $394,833 | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| 82 | Pelham | 24,827 | $323,686 | 1.3% | 3.0% |
| 83 | Homewood | 27,829 | $558,046 | 0.5% | 2.8% |
| 84 | Northport | 31,218 | $266,846 | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| 85 | Bessemer | 25,400 | $133,911 | -1.0% | 2.1% |
| 86 | Daphne | 29,453 | $326,736 | 2.7% | -2.0% |
| 87 | Athens | 29,002 | $307,881 | 5.6% | 1.2% |
| 88 | Enterprise | 29,505 | $202,764 | 1.8% | 0.0% |
| 89 | Opelika | 32,820 | $304,313 | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| 90 | Alabaster | 33,917 | $303,750 | 0.8% | 2.3% |
| 91 | Vestavia Hills | 38,616 | $561,213 | -0.2% | 3.1% |
| 92 | Gadsden | 33,374 | $114,158 | -0.7% | 9.6% |
| 93 | Phenix City | 38,499 | $207,716 | 0.1% | 2.0% |
| 94 | Prattville | 39,482 | $262,195 | 1.6% | 3.3% |
| 95 | Florence | 41,701 | $210,214 | 1.1% | 4.0% |
| 96 | Madison | 60,106 | $374,497 | 3.0% | 0.0% |
| 97 | Decatur | 57,361 | $224,155 | -0.7% | 1.0% |
| 98 | Auburn | 80,594 | $412,908 | 2.4% | 1.7% |
| 99 | Dothan | 71,514 | $203,928 | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| 100 | Hoover | 92,642 | $437,228 | 0.3% | 2.3% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 105 Alabama cities cleared the filters.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Purchase A House In Alabama for 2026
There’s our analysis of the best places to buy a house in Alabama. And, to be clear, we aren’t necessarily saying these places are the best places to live, just that it looks like they might be in a couple of years based on the data.
In fact, every place in the following table meets our criteria, so even though it may not look super long, remember we started off with all 574 places in the state.
The best cities to buy a house in Alabama are Springville, Headland, Tallassee, Midfield, Rainsville, Glencoe, Brewton, Chickasaw, Semmes, and Monroeville.
So if we could rent or buy in these cities, we’d definitely buy.
