Is Ozark, AL a Good Place to Live?
Ozark is a small city of 14,373 in Alabama, with a median household income of $47,407 and a 10.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: Ozark stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ozark is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ozark 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: 89.7Ozark's overall cost of living index is 89.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ozark costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Ozark, AL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $129,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $788 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $47,407 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageOzark's violent crime rate is 439.0 per 100,000 residents — 16% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ozark is served primarily by Dale County. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Ozark, AL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Dale County | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 18.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Ozark sees average highs of 61.7°F in January and 93.3°F in July, with 53.9 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Ozark, AL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 61.7°F |
| Average High — July | 93.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Ozark, AL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,373 | — |
| Median Age | 40.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 62.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 29.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Ozark
Ozark, AL is covered by 1 ZIP code: