Excel is a small town of 473 in Alabama, with a median household income of $64,926
.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Excel stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Excel is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Excel city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.7
Excel's overall cost of living index is 87.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Excel costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Excel, AL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$136,100
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$591
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
78.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$64,926
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Excel's violent crime rate is 1526.7 per 100,000 residents
— 302% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
1526.7 /100k
Property Crime
4580.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Excel is served primarily by Monroe County.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1
(slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Excel, AL
National Avg
School District
Monroe County
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
2
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
18.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Excel sees average highs of 62.4°F in January
and 93.2°F in July,
with 54.6 inches of annual precipitation
.
Excel's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Excel roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $136,100 and median rent is $591/month.
Excel's violent crime rate is 1526.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 4580.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Excel are operated by Monroe County.
The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. 18.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Excel, AL has a population of 473, a median household income of $64,926, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Excel averages 62.4°F in January and 93.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 54.6 inches
.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Excel, AL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 36439.
The population of Excel, Alabama is 473 with a median age of 38.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Excel: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $136,100, median household income $64,926, crime index 328 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Excel side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.