Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Huntsville, AL

    Is Huntsville a good place to live?

    Watch Huntsville

    Huntsville ranks #11 of 24 Alabama cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (52/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $263,100
    +11.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,078
    per month
    Household income
    $70,778
    median
    Unemployment
    4.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Huntsville

    The median home value in Huntsville is $263,100 and median rent is $1,078 a month, against a median household income of $70,778. Homes cost about 3.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Huntsville 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 Huntsville, AL

    Huntsville has about 218,814 residents, 4.3% unemployment and 27% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Huntsville with

    Huntsville vs BirminghamHuntsville vs MontgomeryHuntsville vs MobileHuntsville vs TuscaloosaHuntsville vs HooverHuntsville vs AuburnHuntsville vs DothanHuntsville 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