Median Income
$157,868
household / year
Median Home Value
$519,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
N/A
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Highland Lakes, AL a Good Place to Live?

Highland Lakes is a small town of 5,628 in Alabama, with a median household income of $157,868 and a 2.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Highland Lakes stands out for an affordable cost of living, a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Highland Lakes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Highland Lakes 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: 92.6

Highland Lakes's overall cost of living index is 92.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Highland Lakes costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Highland Lakes, AL National Avg
Median Home Value $519,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent N/A $1,163
Homeownership Rate 99.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $157,868 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Highland Lakes's violent crime rate is 71.2 per 100,000 residents — 81% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
71.2 /100k
Property Crime
559.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Highland Lakes, AL National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 71.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Highland Lakes sees average highs of 54.5°F in January and 91.0°F in July, with 58.5 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricHighland Lakes, AL
Average High — January54.5°F
Average High — July91.0°F
Annual Precipitation58.5"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricHighland Lakes, ALNational Avg
Population5,628—
Median Age47.838.9
Unemployment Rate2.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time30.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)86.1%59.3%
Black or African American8.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.0%18.9%
Asian1.0%6.3%
Under 1818.1%22.2%
65 and over19.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Highland Lakes vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Highland Lakes's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Highland Lakes roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $519,200 and median rent is N/A/month.
Highland Lakes's violent crime rate is 71.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 559.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Highland Lakes, AL has a population of 5,628, a median household income of $157,868, and an unemployment rate of 2.8%. 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.
Highland Lakes averages 54.5°F in January and 91.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 58.5 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Highland Lakes, Alabama is 5,628 with a median age of 47.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Highland Lakes: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $519,200, median household income $157,868, crime index 22 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Highland Lakes side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.