Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Montgomery
Alabama
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
199,819
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $83,221 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than Montgomery
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Montgomery
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $691k less ($141,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1201/mo less ($1,026 vs $2,227)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $83,221/yr
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$83,221
$137,387 vs $54,166/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
57% lower
254.4 vs 594.6 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
2.8% vs 7.2% unemployment
Montgomery
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$691k less
$141,900 vs $833,300
Montgomery
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 199,819 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 53.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 23.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Montgomery is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Montgomery wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $141,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Montgomery, AL are about 684 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.