The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama In 2024


The most affordable places to live in Alabama for 2024 are Prichard, Hamilton, and Attalla according to Saturday Night Science.

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

  1. Prichard
  2. Hamilton
  3. Attalla
  4. Gadsden
  5. Selma
  6. Russellville
  7. Anniston
  8. Talladega
  9. Monroeville
  10. Sheffield

Most Affordable Cities In Alabama Map

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

Prichard, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Hamilton, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Panoramio upload bot | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Attalla, AL

Source: Wikipedia User DwayneP | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Gadsden, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Review Of Gadsden by HomeSnacks User

I live in gadsden and I like it!!

Selma, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Russellville, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rudi Weikard | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Anniston, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; SaveRivers | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Talladega, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; SaveRivers | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Monroeville, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Melinda Shelton | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Sheffield, AL

Source: Wikipedia User SistahFee | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Map Of The Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama
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:

  1. Mountain Brook
  2. Vestavia Hills
  3. 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
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.