The 10 Best Places To Retire In Alabama For 2024


The best places to retire in Alabama are Leeds and Fort Payne for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

Want to see why Alabama is one of the best states to retire in America?

It starts with the top ten best places to retire in the Yellowhammer State for 2024

We looked at the FBI and Census data for 52 cities with 10,000 residents to identify Alabama’s best places to spend your retirement years. We included factors like crime, affordability, rent, and how close a place is to an international airport.

Our research concluded that The Heart of Dixie’s best places to retire are some of the safest in the state. They are also some of the most affordable.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The 10 Best Places To Retire In Alabama For 2024

  1. Leeds
  2. Fort Payne
  3. Selma
  4. Hartselle
  5. Talladega
  6. Cullman
  7. Irondale
  8. Gadsden
  9. Athens
  10. Anniston

If you’re the type of retiree who likes to socialize, Alabama’s best places to retire do not disappoint. There’s the Parrot Head Club in Gulf Shores, shuffleboard clubs in Foley, and a bunch of knitting clubs in Madison.

What is the best place to retire in Alabama for 2024? According to the latest data, Leeds is the best place to retire in Alabama.

Why did Leeds take the top spot? And where are Huntsville and Birmingham?

For more Alabama state reading:

The 10 Best Places To Retire In Alabama For 2024

Leeds, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Jordanhunterjackson | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 12,292
Median Income: $67,159
Median Home Price: $237,534
Median Rent: $938
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Leeds: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Fort Payne, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 14,815
Median Income: $44,549
Median Home Price: $181,111
Median Rent: $665
Distance to Closest Airport: 86 miles
More on Fort Payne: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Selma, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 17,875
Median Income: $31,084
Median Home Price: $53,690
Median Rent: $679
Distance to Closest Airport: 80 miles
More on Selma: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Hartselle, AL

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

6
/10

Population: 15,414
Median Income: $64,876
Median Home Price: $231,775
Median Rent: $775
Distance to Closest Airport: 61 miles
More on Hartselle: Data | 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
Median Income: $37,945
Median Home Price: $144,296
Median Rent: $687
Distance to Closest Airport: 38 miles
More on Talladega: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cullman, AL

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

6
/10

Population: 18,434
Median Income: $59,982
Median Home Price: $235,534
Median Rent: $840
Distance to Closest Airport: 42 miles
More on Cullman: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Irondale, AL

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

7
/10

Population: 13,455
Median Income: $68,869
Median Home Price: $266,185
Median Rent: $1,182
Distance to Closest Airport: 5 miles
More on Irondale: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Gadsden, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 33,881
Median Income: $39,696
Median Home Price: $87,217
Median Rent: $765
Distance to Closest Airport: 52 miles
More on Gadsden: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Athens, AL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 26,179
Median Income: $57,444
Median Home Price: $292,471
Median Rent: $766
Distance to Closest Airport: 84 miles
More on Athens: Data | Crime | 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
Median Income: $45,642
Median Home Price: $121,785
Median Rent: $806
Distance to Closest Airport: 54 miles
More on Anniston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Heart Of Dixie for 2024

To create our ranking of the best places in Alabama to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Heart Of Dixie — 574 cities and towns.

We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 52 places from across the state.

For these 52, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:

  • Low cost of living as measured by rent
  • Low crime
  • Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
  • Nice weather
  • Distance to the closest international airport
  • Other retirees (High median age)

We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 52, with the lowest number being the best.

Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Leeds, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.

The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Alabama.

Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Alabama Yet…

So there you have it, the best place to retire in Alabama goes to Leeds.

The best places to retire in Alabama are Leeds, Fort Payne, Selma, Hartselle, Talladega, Cullman, Irondale, Gadsden, Athens, and Anniston.

If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:

  1. Spanish Fort
  2. Mobile
  3. Hueytown

For more Alabama reading, check out:

Best Places To Retire In Alabama

Rank City Population Median Income Average Home Prices Median Rent
1 Leeds 12,292 $67,159 $237,534 $938
2 Fort Payne 14,815 $44,549 $181,111 $665
3 Selma 17,875 $31,084 $53,690 $679
4 Hartselle 15,414 $64,876 $231,775 $775
5 Talladega 15,071 $37,945 $144,296 $687
6 Cullman 18,434 $59,982 $235,534 $840
7 Irondale 13,455 $68,869 $266,185 $1,182
8 Gadsden 33,881 $39,696 $87,217 $765
9 Athens 26,179 $57,444 $292,471 $766
10 Anniston 21,502 $45,642 $121,785 $806
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.