The Best Places to Live in Alabama
Vestavia Hills, Roanoke, and Madison are some of the best places to live and buy a home in Alabama.
Written by Katherine Duffy
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Highly-rated public schools, reasonable home prices, and affordable living costs make communities such as Vestavia Hills, Woodstock, and Indian Springs Village among the best places to live in Alabama.
Alabama
is becoming an increasingly popular place to live because of its affordable cities, growing infrastructure, and positive economic growth trends. Alabama boasts beautiful weather year-round and is dotted with quaint, close-knit communities that serve as a great backdrop for raising a family. Alabama is an excellent place to call home, but deciding on one of its 461 incorporated municipalities can be a challenge.
That’s why
Jerry
, a top rated
broker app for car
and home insurance
, has created a complete guide on the best communities in Alabama to live in depending on what you’re looking for. Read on to learn which Alabama communities are the most affordable, which are the best for families, and which are the best to buy a home in. RECOMMENDED
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What makes a good place to live?
When it comes to choosing a good place to live, many of us think of the same factors:
How safe is the community? What are grocery prices like? Are there many job prospects? What’s the housing market like? Will my kids have a good place to go to school?
While these remain popular important factors in many Americans’ search for the perfect place to call home, it can be hard to know where to begin searching for that place.
To simplify your search, we’ve collected the most important data on eight Alabama communities: Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Bridgeport, Woodstock, Roanoke, Madison, Indian Springs Village, and Priceville.
You’ll find large and small communities on our list, and we’ve collected data about the following factors for each community:
- Median household income
- Median home price
- Cost of living
- Quality of schools
- Crime rates
- Healthcare
- Average commute times
- FEMA risk index ratings
Based on these metrics, we’ve narrowed down the best places to live in Alabama based on three different categories: the best places for families, the most affordable places, and the best places to buy a house in Alabama.
The best places for families to live in Alabama
The most important factors to consider when deciding on a place for your family to live are quality of education, crime rates, and community culture. Here are the top three places for families to live in Alabama based on these factors.
Homewood
Location: Jefferson County
Population: 25,534
Median household income: $85,157
Median home price: $347,800
Homewood is a suburban Birmingham community in Jefferson County and is one of the best places to live in Alabama. Most Homewood community members own their homes and enjoy a close-knit suburban feel but still enjoy the city amenities of Birmingham, Alabama’s capital city.
This community features many great restaurants, coffee shops, and parks to enjoy the beautiful Alabama weather.
Homewood is home to lots of younger professionals and families, and community members tend to hold moderate political views. Homewood public schools have excellent reputations for academic excellence.
Homewood is ranked as the #1 place to live in Alabama, #1 place to raise a family in Alabama, and #1 place with best public schools in Alabama by Niche. This community’s cost of living is only slightly above the US national average, making Homewood an incredibly affordable place to live.
Vestavia Hills
Location: Jefferson County
Population: 34,307
Median household income: $109,485
Median home price: $376,200
Similar to Homewood, Vestavia Hills is also a Birmingham suburb that has the best of both worlds—an intimate community feel with the convenience of big-city amenities at your doorstep.
Vestavia Hills offers many quality restaurants, shops, and green spaces for community members to enjoy. This community is slightly more conservative than Homewood and celebrates community traditions like the
Dogwood Festival
and Vestavia Belles
community event. Vestavia Hills enjoys top-notch public education, making this community an excellent place to raise children in. This community is also one of the top 10 safest places to live in Alabama. Like Homewood, the cost of living is slightly above the national average, but considering the quality of life and amenities, this above-average cost is well worth it.
The most affordable places to live in Alabama
Cost of living is a major factor for many families deciding on where to settle down. For people looking for affordable housing and ongoing living costs, Alabama is a great choice.
The overall cost of living in Alabama is 82.3 compared to the US average of 100, and the state boasts some of the most affordable home costs in the country.
We’ve highlighted the following communities as the most affordable places to live in Alabama based on two key factors: the overall cost of living and average commute times (which determine fuel costs).
Bridgeport
Location: Jackson County
Population: 2,106
Median household income: $28,568
Median home price: $64,500
Bridgeport is a great destination if you like living in a smaller community with deep historic roots. The cost of living in Bridgeport is nearly ten points lower than the state average, sitting at 72. This makes this community incredibly affordable for young professionals, growing families, or anyone looking for a more affordable lifestyle.
Plus, you’ll enjoy an average commute time of 23.2 minutes, which is lower than the national average.
Bridgeport’s public schools are of higher quality than the state average, making this community a great place to raise a family. Bridgeport was also a strategic location during the Civil War and is home to historic monuments like the
Bridgeport Depot Museum
.Woodstock
Location: Bibb and Tuscaloosa counties
Population: 1,972
Median household income: $64,728
Median home price: $130,300
Previously known as North Bibb, Woodstock is a small historical town that once thrived as a railroad town in the mid-1800s. Today, Woodstock is an excellent choice to pay down permanent roots if you’re looking for affordable housing in a safe and charming community.
The cost of living in Woodstock is 83, just one point higher than the state average. The average commute time is 28.1 minutes, which is only slightly higher than the national average. Most residents in Woodstock own their homes and enjoy above-average public education quality.
If you’re looking for a quiet community life with affordable housing and everyday living costs, Woodstock is a top choice.
Roanoke
Location: Randolph County
Population: 5,926
Median household income: $42,069
Median home price: $85,900
Roanoke
is a historic town in Randolph County, Alabama that’s perfect for those who love small town life. You’ll enjoy a quiet suburban feel in Roanoke while reaping the economic benefits of living in one of the most affordable communities in the state. Roanoke’s cost of living is 74, which is well below the state average. The average commute time is just 21.8 minutes, which means less spent on gas and car maintenance.
Like our other affordable towns in Alabama, most residents can afford to own their homes. The town offers above-average public education quality, making Roanoke a great place to raise a family while saving on everyday costs.
Best places to buy a house in Alabama
Finally, we’ve put together the best places to invest in property in Alabama based on the housing market and climate in your potential community. We’ve considered Realtor.com’s summaries of housing markets and the FEMA Risk Index to determine the best communities to buy a house in Alabama.
Madison
Location: Madison County
Population: 49,327
Median household income: $99,188
Median home price: $253,000
The community of
Madison
is a lovely suburb of Huntsville
and one of the best places to buy a home and grow a family in Alabama. While the median home price is trending upwards, the housing market in Madison is currently a buyer’s market, making it a great time to invest.
The FEMA risk index in Madison is 13.67. While this is higher than other communities in Alabama, Madison has floodwater management plans in place to combat harsh weather conditions if necessary.
Overall, Madison is a great place to buy a home because the market is favorable for buyers, the cost of living is affordable, the community is educated, and there’s a low unemployment rate and strong local economy.
Indian Springs Village
Location: Shelby County
Population: 2,549
Median household income: $119,091
Median home price: $367,200
Indian Springs Village is a charming suburban community of just 2,349 residents that still enjoys the amenities of larger communities like
Birmingham
and Hoover. While Indian Springs Village is currently a seller’s market, investing in a property in this community will pay off in the long run because of the market’s sustainability and overall value.
You can still buy a home for under $400K in this beautiful, close-knit community that features high-quality schools, close-by grocery stores and shops, and a lively social life because of the proximity to larger community life.
The FEMA risk index in Indian Springs Village is 8.47, which is lower than the state average. This means that Indian Springs Village is at low risk for harsh and unpredictable weather, making it an environmentally safe place to lay permanent roots.
If you’re looking for that magical small-town charm, high quality of life, and easy access to big-city services, Indian Springs Village is the perfect location for your forever home.
Priceville
Location: Morgan County
Population: 3,475
Median household income: $91,797
Median home price: $195,100
Priceville is the third-largest community in Morgan County, Alabama, and balances community growth with close-knit community values and culture.
Priceville is one of the best overall communities to live in Alabama and the housing market reflects it. Priceville’s current housing market is a seller’s market because of the community amenities, competitive home prices, and high quality of life.
You can still buy a home in Priceville for under $400K, and because of the market’s longevity, this investment will reward you in the future if you decide to sell.
The FEMA risk index in Priceville is slightly higher than the state average, sitting at 16.66. Priceville does have community services in place to deal with natural disasters and harsh weather, although the community doesn’t suffer from extreme weather often.
If you’re looking for a slightly larger community than Indian Springs Village with a lower cost of living, Priceville is a great destination for your next home.
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