Birmingham vs Montgomery
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $158,800 in Birmingham and $161,900 in Montgomery.
- Households earn more in Montgomery ($56,811 vs $46,051 median).
- Montgomery has the warmer winter: January highs of 60°F vs 55°F.
- Montgomery has more scorching days: 93 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 65.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 195,893 | 195,300 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.3% | -2.6% |
| People per square mile | 1,332 | 1,222 |
| Median age | 35.6 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $46,051 | $56,811 |
| Median home value | $158,800 | $161,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,107 | $1,089 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.6 | 89.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 71.9 | 64.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,700 | $67,300 |
| Homeowners | 46% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.46% | 9.46% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.8 | 20.7 |
| Work from home | 10% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 24.7% | 21.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 55° / 35° | 60° / 37° |
| July high / low | 91° / 72° | 94° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 57 in | 51 in |
| Snowfall per year | 1 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 65 | 93 |
| Nights below freezing | 47 | 37 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.6 | 91.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 43% | 64% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.4% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +38.9% | +41% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Birmingham: September to November. Montgomery: April to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Birmingham weather by month and Montgomery weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,700 in Birmingham and $67,300 in Montgomery. Moving from Birmingham to Montgomery, you would need about $73,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Birmingham and Montgomery
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Birmingham and Montgomery.
Which would you pick?
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