If you’re looking for the cheapest places to live in Alabama, you’ve come to the right spot.
The Heart of Dixie is home to some of the most affordable places in the country.
But, with the cost of living rising across Alabama, we thought it would be a great idea to give Alabamans, and those looking to move there, a list of the most affordable places to live in Alabama for 2024.
How do you determine the most affordable places to live in Alabama? You use Saturday Night Science to consult the latest Census data on the cost of living metrics like home prices and rents.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Alabama
The most affordable place to live in Alabama? The most affordable place to live in Alabama is Prichard.
The folks in the most affordable Alabama places know that the less they spend on their cost of living, the more they have to spend on swamp boat tours in Spanish Fort, the Birmingham Zoo, or Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure in Bessemer.
Check out some more reading about Alabama and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama For 2024
/10
Population: 19,353
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 77
Median Income: $36,110
Median Home Price: $42,254
Median Rent: $861
Prichard, located in the heart of Mobile County within Alabama, has one of the lowest costs of living in the state and country. The median home value in Prichard is $42,254, and the median rent is $861, the two most significant drivers of cost.
Statewide, it also has some of the lowest costs associated with groceries, healthcare, and utilities. Prichard is also close to cheap things to do like exploring the 1,100-acre Chickasabogue Park or the Battleship USS Alabama.
More on Prichard: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 6,880
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 77
Median Income: $50,882
Median Home Price: $150,860
Median Rent: $567
Hamilton’s claim to fame is that they are the home to the former Minnesota Vikings lineman Bookie Bolin. More relevant here, this city of 6,880 in Marion County is the second best place in Alabama if you are looking for affordable living.
Yes, the median income in Hamilton is $50,882, and the median home price is $150,860. For all of the economically savvy out there, we’re sure we can agree that this is a Hamilton win.
More on Hamilton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 5,849
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $51,875
Median Home Price: $121,864
Median Rent: $591
Alabama’s third most affordable place to live for 2024 is Attalla. Attalla is one of the city’s that made this list that is located closest to an airport.
Why is that important? Because when you save a bunch of money on your home purchase, you can use that money to take vacations from the nearby Northeast Alabama Regional Airport.
Attalla is the tenth cheapest place to buy a home relative to its median income in the state and offers an overall cost of living well below the national, and state, average.
More on Attalla: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 33,881
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $39,696
Median Home Price: $87,217
Median Rent: $765
Gadsden rank as the fourth most affordable city in Alabama. Home prices are a god send in Gadsden where they average $87,217.
Located on the Coosa River, just an hour’s drive from Birmingham, it scored well for low transportation and service costs. It has an overall cost of living that is 8.0% lower than the state average.
Gadsden has free access to Noccalula Falls Park and the natural beauty of Neely Henry Lake.
More on Gadsden: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I live in gadsden and I like it!!
/10
Population: 17,875
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $31,084
Median Home Price: $53,690
Median Rent: $679
In Central Alabama, Selma landed as the fifth most affordable city in AL for 2024. Its low 80 cost of living index is attributable to competitive housing costs, with a median home value ranked as the second lowest statewide.
In Selma, you can visit the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute or explore the Old Cahawba Archaeological Park while still saving on a solid-sized paycheck. The median income in the city is $31,084.
More on Selma: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,767
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $50,411
Median Home Price: $152,015
Median Rent: $639
Where Alabama’s HWY 43 crosses HWY 24 is the sixth cheapest place to live in The Yellowhammer State. The beauty of Russellville is that it is the 28th most affordable place to buy a home or rent based on the median income at $50,411 for this area.
If you’re unsure if buying a home in this little city in Franklin County is right for you, you can try it out with a rental.
More on Russellville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 21,502
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $45,642
Median Home Price: $121,785
Median Rent: $806
Anniston, located in Calhoun County, is the seventh most affordable city in the state with a cost of living index of 81. The city maintains a healthy economic environment with a median home value at $121,785, a median rent of $806, and an unemployment rate at 5.55%.
The quality of life in Anniston doesn’t suffer due to its affordability, as you can access the Anniston Museum of Natural History and Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife.
More on Anniston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,071
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $37,945
Median Home Price: $144,296
Median Rent: $687
Talladega, located in the central region of Talladega County about 50 miles from Birmingham, rocks the rankings for cheapest places to live in Alabama. The overall cost of living is 6 points better than the state average. Which means you’ll have more to spend on the famous Talladega Nights.
Or, if you’re more of a day person, CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park is nearby.
More on Talladega: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 5,917
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $32,040
Median Home Price: $134,923
Median Rent: $641
Monroeville, located centrally within Monroe County, offers a low cost of living index at 81, making it the ninth most affordable city in Alabama.
Housing costs are particularly noteworthy, with Monroeville’s home price to income ratio being the 84th lowest in the state.
With a population of 5,917, Monroeville fosters a strong sense of community where you can visit the Old Monroe County Courthouse and Heritage Museum and the Monroeville Downtown Walking Trail on a budget-friendly schedule.
More on Monroeville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 9,330
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 82
Median Income: $39,666
Median Home Price: $116,822
Median Rent: $765
In the Florence-Shoals metro area of Alabama, you’ll find Sheffield. The city’s low $116,822 home prices and $765 rents contribute to a cost of living index that’s significantly lower than the state average.
Groceries, services, and healthcare are cheaper in Sheffield relative to the Heart of Dixie average, leaving more money for boiled peanuts and fried green tomatoes.
More on Sheffield: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cheapest places to live in Alabama FAQs
The county in Alabama with the lowest cost of living is DeKalb County. The average living wage in DeKalb County is $74,765 according to MIT data. DeKalb County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Alabama as a whole. Childcare costs $8,562 a year in DeKalb County for two children compared to the Alabama average of $11,652. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $7,608 per year in DeKalb County compared to $9,794 on average in Alabama.
The cost of living in Alabama is 10.0% lower than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Alabama is $80,777 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Alabama household is $52,035.
The cheapest housing market in Alabama is Prichard. The average home value in Prichard is $66,100, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Alabama is $149,600, almost 2.3 times higher than Prichard.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Heart of Dixie for 2024
Determining affordability for places in Alabama boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Alabama using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Alabama to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 104 places in Alabama that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Alabama with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Prichard.
We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Alabama.
Alabama Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Alabama for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Alabama.
The cheapest cities in Alabama are Prichard, Hamilton, Attalla, Gadsden, Selma, Russellville, Anniston, Talladega, Monroeville, and Sheffield.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Alabama according to the data:
- Mountain Brook
- Vestavia Hills
- Homewood
For more Alabama reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prichard | 19,353 | 77 | $36,110 | $42,254 | $861 |
| 2 | Hamilton | 6,880 | 77 | $50,882 | $150,860 | $567 |
| 3 | Attalla | 5,849 | 79 | $51,875 | $121,864 | $591 |
| 4 | Gadsden | 33,881 | 80 | $39,696 | $87,217 | $765 |
| 5 | Selma | 17,875 | 80 | $31,084 | $53,690 | $679 |
| 6 | Russellville | 10,767 | 80 | $50,411 | $152,015 | $639 |
| 7 | Anniston | 21,502 | 81 | $45,642 | $121,785 | $806 |
| 8 | Talladega | 15,071 | 81 | $37,945 | $144,296 | $687 |
| 9 | Monroeville | 5,917 | 81 | $32,040 | $134,923 | $641 |
| 10 | Sheffield | 9,330 | 82 | $39,666 | $116,822 | $765 |
| 11 | Tuskegee | 9,173 | 82 | $32,449 | $71,503 | $684 |
| 12 | Tuscumbia | 9,029 | 82 | $47,530 | $177,073 | $741 |
| 13 | Fort Payne | 14,815 | 83 | $44,549 | $181,111 | $665 |
| 14 | Clanton | 8,776 | 83 | $48,566 | $209,433 | $896 |
| 15 | Atmore | 8,465 | 83 | $30,472 | $152,700 | $617 |
| 16 | Greenville | 7,326 | 83 | $39,087 | $109,448 | $728 |
| 17 | Roanoke | 5,346 | 83 | $43,664 | $128,364 | $592 |
| 18 | Birmingham | 200,431 | 84 | $42,464 | $102,370 | $995 |
| 19 | Montgomery | 199,819 | 84 | $54,166 | $137,269 | $1,026 |
| 20 | Mobile | 186,316 | 84 | $48,524 | $183,563 | $985 |
| 21 | Hartselle | 15,414 | 84 | $64,876 | $231,775 | $775 |
| 22 | Andalusia | 8,841 | 84 | $44,196 | $119,027 | $694 |
| 23 | Lanett | 6,880 | 84 | $48,125 | $107,150 | $785 |
| 24 | Chickasaw | 6,398 | 84 | $38,985 | $100,413 | $871 |
| 25 | Tarrant | 6,077 | 84 | $37,768 | $66,566 | $884 |
| 26 | Glencoe | 5,343 | 84 | $68,893 | $194,932 | $758 |
| 27 | Midfield | 5,159 | 84 | $48,219 | $81,363 | $1,125 |
| 28 | Athens | 26,179 | 85 | $57,444 | $292,471 | $766 |
| 29 | Bessemer | 25,890 | 85 | $34,953 | $113,657 | $879 |
| 30 | Ozark | 14,373 | 85 | $47,407 | $139,034 | $788 |
| 31 | Boaz | 10,248 | 85 | $43,276 | $185,474 | $607 |
| 32 | Bay Minette | 8,159 | 85 | $36,899 | $210,089 | $756 |
| 33 | Demopolis | 7,080 | 85 | $51,364 | $153,312 | $679 |
| 34 | Brewton | 5,257 | 85 | $45,881 | $149,753 | $596 |
| 35 | Sylacauga | 12,465 | 86 | $46,137 | $157,852 | $695 |
| 36 | Fairfield | 9,975 | 86 | $45,646 | $89,729 | $998 |
| 37 | Robertsdale | 6,793 | 86 | $55,345 | $263,043 | $962 |
| 38 | Opp | 6,741 | 86 | $42,956 | $97,515 | $679 |
| 39 | Tallassee | 5,174 | 86 | $48,531 | $164,771 | $860 |
| 40 | Decatur | 57,525 | 87 | $55,164 | $206,372 | $801 |
| 41 | Florence | 40,781 | 87 | $47,048 | $190,715 | $757 |
| 42 | Oxford | 22,019 | 87 | $66,031 | $177,057 | $883 |
| 43 | Troy | 17,757 | 87 | $38,783 | $180,377 | $826 |
| 44 | Valley | 10,442 | 87 | $54,237 | $146,407 | $979 |
| 45 | Albertville | 22,433 | 88 | $55,933 | $185,432 | $798 |
| 46 | Muscle Shoals | 16,334 | 88 | $70,493 | $239,988 | $957 |
| 47 | Alexander City | 14,788 | 88 | $42,141 | $169,024 | $630 |
| 48 | Rainbow City | 10,184 | 88 | $60,260 | $231,569 | $959 |
| 49 | Wetumpka | 7,129 | 88 | $54,477 | $257,347 | $976 |
| 50 | Lincoln | 6,968 | 88 | $65,042 | $234,743 | $997 |
| 51 | Prattville | 38,124 | 89 | $76,176 | $233,140 | $1,261 |
| 52 | Cullman | 18,434 | 89 | $59,982 | $235,534 | $840 |
| 53 | Hueytown | 16,655 | 89 | $64,176 | $162,864 | $1,177 |
| 54 | Center Point | 16,279 | 89 | $49,886 | $152,646 | $1,050 |
| 55 | Jasper | 14,453 | 89 | $62,850 | $202,953 | $681 |
| 56 | Satsuma | 6,740 | 89 | $87,974 | $228,979 | $1,233 |
| 57 | Rainsville | 5,545 | 89 | $60,339 | $203,975 | $626 |
| 58 | Saraland | 16,109 | 90 | $62,802 | $222,397 | $972 |
| 59 | Jacksonville | 14,227 | 90 | $46,451 | $192,734 | $752 |
| 60 | Pell City | 13,148 | 90 | $71,027 | $266,567 | $1,085 |
| 61 | Eufaula | 12,746 | 90 | $39,511 | $156,427 | $641 |
| 62 | Smiths Station | 5,441 | 90 | $55,676 | $256,069 | $984 |
| 63 | Phenix City | 38,413 | 91 | $46,944 | $184,141 | $923 |
| 64 | Millbrook | 16,631 | 91 | $63,521 | $196,171 | $1,027 |
| 65 | Scottsboro | 15,543 | 91 | $49,287 | $192,512 | $734 |
| 66 | Irondale | 13,455 | 91 | $68,869 | $266,185 | $1,182 |
| 67 | Moody | 13,235 | 91 | $77,680 | $257,342 | $1,220 |
| 68 | Montevallo | 7,288 | 91 | $56,500 | $225,034 | $942 |
| 69 | Foley | 21,113 | 92 | $60,090 | $296,222 | $960 |
| 70 | Leeds | 12,292 | 92 | $67,159 | $237,534 | $938 |
| 71 | Southside | 9,358 | 92 | $70,843 | $254,667 | $1,105 |
| 72 | Arab | 8,552 | 92 | $56,471 | $218,349 | $667 |
| 73 | Pinson | 7,209 | 92 | $83,673 | $206,702 | $1,310 |
| 74 | Oneonta | 6,925 | 92 | $44,167 | $199,742 | $624 |
| 75 | Huntsville | 215,025 | 93 | $67,874 | $276,878 | $1,020 |
| 76 | Tuscaloosa | 105,797 | 93 | $47,257 | $207,537 | $980 |
| 77 | Dothan | 70,699 | 93 | $53,704 | $184,646 | $871 |
| 78 | Northport | 30,714 | 93 | $72,286 | $257,877 | $936 |
| 79 | Calera | 16,644 | 93 | $73,775 | $248,784 | $1,561 |
| 80 | Clay | 10,315 | 93 | $74,198 | $244,802 | $918 |
| 81 | Fultondale | 9,756 | 93 | $72,741 | $220,246 | $1,097 |
| 82 | Opelika | 31,361 | 94 | $55,218 | $270,539 | $872 |
| 83 | Guntersville | 8,644 | 94 | $61,453 | $275,377 | $722 |
| 84 | Alabaster | 33,417 | 95 | $89,423 | $288,633 | $1,215 |
| 85 | Gardendale | 16,051 | 95 | $78,719 | $257,779 | $1,201 |
| 86 | Enterprise | 28,513 | 97 | $64,888 | $200,569 | $974 |
| 87 | Daphne | 27,861 | 97 | $80,657 | $317,169 | $1,308 |
| 88 | Pelham | 24,221 | 97 | $94,108 | $300,946 | $1,376 |
| 89 | Pleasant Grove | 9,549 | 97 | $72,917 | $224,499 | $1,183 |
| 90 | Margaret | 5,294 | 97 | $83,814 | $259,656 | $872 |
| 91 | Helena | 21,036 | 101 | $107,360 | $344,616 | $1,287 |
| 92 | Fairhope | 22,605 | 102 | $85,456 | $462,465 | $1,575 |
| 93 | Auburn | 76,660 | 103 | $55,509 | $350,820 | $995 |
| 94 | Madison | 56,967 | 103 | $118,132 | $371,983 | $1,201 |
| 95 | Orange Beach | 8,048 | 103 | $90,402 | $701,196 | $1,260 |
| 96 | Gulf Shores | 15,178 | 105 | $62,021 | $468,361 | $1,181 |
| 97 | Spanish Fort | 10,083 | 105 | $98,350 | $386,694 | $1,229 |
| 98 | Pike Road | 9,651 | 105 | $119,928 | $391,577 | $1,458 |
| 99 | Trussville | 25,621 | 106 | $118,028 | $376,558 | $1,389 |
| 100 | Chelsea | 15,201 | 106 | $102,344 | $372,677 | $1,486 |