Should I Move To
Hoover, Alabama is home to about 91,995 people. On cost of living, it lands in the affordable band — 14% below the national average. The median renter pays around $1,352 a month against a typical household income of $101,765. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 73 out of 100 (grade B), putting it at #2 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Hoover's composite cost-of-living index lands at 86 (100 = US average), which puts it in the affordable band. At $1,352/mo against $101,765 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 16% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $366,200.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 90°F, winter averages around 37°F. Precipitation totals about 57 inches a year. Walkability varies a lot by neighborhood — denser pockets work fine on foot, the rest leans on driving. On the safer side of the national distribution, though not by a huge margin. AQI runs about 46 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Hoover reads as a strong fit for families. The profile-weighted score is 80/100 — a B+. Its standout dimension is climate (91/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (37/100).
Hoover reads as a strong fit for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 75/100 — a B+. Its standout dimension is climate (91/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (37/100).
Hoover reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 73/100 — a B. Its standout dimension is climate (91/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (37/100).
Hoover reads as a strong fit for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 79/100 — a B+. Its standout dimension is climate (91/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (37/100).
Our overall score for Hoover is 73/100 — a B, sitting at #2 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Hoover sits at 86 — affordable, 14% below the national average. Median renter pays around $1,352 a month.
Hoover runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 90°F, winter's near 37°F; 57 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 62/100. Walkability varies a lot by neighborhood — denser pockets work fine on foot, the rest leans on driving.
Roughly 91,995 people live here, with 60% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 38.
Drop Hoover into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Hoover with other Alabama cities scored on UrbRank.
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