City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Birmingham | Hoover | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $995/mo | $1,352/mo | 26.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $123,000 | $366,200 | 66.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $42,464 | $101,765 | 58.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Birmingham, you'd need $135,874 in Hoover to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Birmingham, AL is about 26.4% cheaper overall than Hoover, AL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 26% lower in Birmingham than in Hoover. If you earn $80,000 in Birmingham, you'd need about $108,699 in Hoover to keep the same standard of living.