Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Birmingham, AL

    Is Birmingham a good place to live?

    Watch Birmingham

    Birmingham ranks #20 of 24 Alabama cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (33/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.6% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $138,600
    +12.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,047
    per month
    Household income
    $44,376
    median
    Unemployment
    6.1%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Birmingham

    The median home value in Birmingham is $138,600 and median rent is $1,047 a month, against a median household income of $44,376. Homes cost about 3.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Birmingham crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Alabama the 2025 rate was 353 violent and 1,501 property crimes per 100,000 people — #23 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Birmingham, AL

    Birmingham has about 199,322 residents, 6.1% unemployment and 18% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Birmingham with

    Birmingham vs HuntsvilleBirmingham vs MontgomeryBirmingham vs MobileBirmingham vs TuscaloosaBirmingham vs HooverBirmingham vs AuburnBirmingham vs DothanBirmingham vs Madison

    More: Where to move in Alabama · Best counties in Alabama

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report