Longview vs Montgomery
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $161,900 in Montgomery and $202,600 in Longview.
- Households earn more in Longview ($63,340 vs $56,811 median).
- Longview is growing faster: +1.8% since 2020 vs -2.6%.
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; Alabama's top rate is 5%.
Side by side
| Longview, TX | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 83,236 | 195,300 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.8% | -2.6% |
| People per square mile | 1,480 | 1,222 |
| Median age | 35.3 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $63,340 | $56,811 |
| Median home value | $202,600 | $161,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,101 | $1,089 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 89.5 | 89.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 66.7 | 64.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $67,100 | $67,300 |
| Homeowners | 55% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | None | 5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 9.46% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.7 | 20.7 |
| Work from home | 7% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.1% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 21.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 57° / 36° | 60° / 37° |
| July high / low | 93° / 72° | 94° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 50 in | 51 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 89 | 93 |
| Nights below freezing | 29 | 37 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.0 | 91.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 87% | 64% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.4% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.3% | +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: Longview: May and October to November. Montgomery: April to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Longview 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 $67,100 in Longview and $67,300 in Montgomery. Moving from Longview to Montgomery, you would need about $75,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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