Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Montgomery, AL

    Is Montgomery a good place to live?

    Watch Montgomery

    Montgomery ranks #18 of 24 Alabama cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (37/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.7% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $148,500
    +4.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,059
    per month
    Household income
    $55,687
    median
    Unemployment
    6.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Montgomery

    The median home value in Montgomery is $148,500 and median rent is $1,059 a month, against a median household income of $55,687. Homes cost about 2.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery, AL

    Montgomery has about 198,440 residents, 6.4% unemployment and 19% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Montgomery with

    Montgomery vs HuntsvilleMontgomery vs BirminghamMontgomery vs MobileMontgomery vs TuscaloosaMontgomery vs HooverMontgomery vs AuburnMontgomery vs DothanMontgomery 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