Huntsville vs Montgomery
The short version
- Montgomery is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Huntsville area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $161,900 in Montgomery and $293,600 in Huntsville.
- Households earn more in Huntsville ($74,714 vs $56,811 median).
- Montgomery has the warmer winter: January highs of 60°F vs 52°F.
- Montgomery has more scorching days: 93 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 62.
- Huntsville is growing faster: +8.7% since 2020 vs -2.6%.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 233,627 | 195,300 |
| Growth since 2020 | +8.7% | -2.6% |
| People per square mile | 1,037 | 1,222 |
| Median age | 36.9 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $74,714 | $56,811 |
| Median home value | $293,600 | $161,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,171 | $1,089 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 93.1 | 89.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 77.9 | 64.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,800 | $67,300 |
| Homeowners | 58% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.46% | 9.46% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.7 | 20.7 |
| Work from home | 15% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.1% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 21.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 33° | 60° / 37° |
| July high / low | 92° / 71° | 94° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 54 in | 51 in |
| Snowfall per year | 2 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 62 | 93 |
| Nights below freezing | 56 | 37 |
| Comfortable months | 1 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 94.6 | 91.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 64% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.3% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43% | +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: Huntsville: October. Montgomery: April to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Huntsville 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 $69,800 in Huntsville and $67,300 in Montgomery. Moving from Huntsville to Montgomery, you would need about $72,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Huntsville 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 Huntsville and Montgomery.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.