City comparison
Madison, AL is about 100 miles (175 km) from Tuscaloosa, AL in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 150 miles, or about 2 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Madison, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL takes about 13 min, covering roughly 100 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Tuscaloosa has a population of 105,797, vs 56,967 in Madison — about 1.9× larger by population. By land area, Tuscaloosa covers about 63 sq mi vs 31 sq mi for Madison.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Madison | Tuscaloosa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,201/mo | $980/mo | 22.6% higher in Madison |
| Median home value | $327,100 | $228,300 | 43.3% higher in Madison |
| Median household income | $118,132 | $47,257 | 150.0% higher in Madison |
| Groceries index | 96.6 | 96.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 84.9 | 85.3 | ≈ equal (Tuscaloosa slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 97.0 | 97.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.5 | 96.5 | ≈ 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 Madison, you'd need $90,700 in Tuscaloosa to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tuscaloosa, AL is about 9.3% cheaper overall than Madison, AL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% higher in Madison than in Tuscaloosa. If you earn $80,000 in Madison, you'd need about $72,560 in Tuscaloosa to keep the same standard of living.