Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baltimore, MD
VS
Birmingham, AL
🏆 Birmingham leads 12 of 23 categories
Baltimore
Maryland
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,349 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
423⚠ High
Population
584,548 ✓ Larger
Birmingham
Alabama
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
200,431
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baltimore, MD
Pros
Households earn $15,885 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (6.9%)
More college-educated — 34.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1606.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4157.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Birmingham
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $80k less ($123,000 vs $202,900)
22% less violent crime than Baltimore
Rent averages $240/mo less ($995 vs $1,235)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Baltimore
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Median income trails Baltimore by $15,885/yr
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Baltimore
Median Income
$15,885
$58,349 vs $42,464/yr
Baltimore
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
6.9% vs 7.5% unemployment
Birmingham
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Birmingham
Violent Crime
22% lower
1246.6 vs 1606.2 per 100k
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$80k less
$123,000 vs $202,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baltimore, MD | Birmingham, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $202,900 | $123,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $995 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,349 ✓ Higher | $42,464 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.4% ✓ Higher | 7.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 274⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 423⚠ High | 328⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 192⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.9% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% | 88.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Baltimore City Public Schools | Birmingham City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 43.7°F | 54.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.1°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.7" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3" | 1.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 584,548 ✓ Larger | 200,431 |
| Median Age | 36.0 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.8% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% ✓ More | 19.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.8% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baltimore's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Birmingham's 92.6 (US average = 100).
Birmingham is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Birmingham leads 12 of 23 categories. Baltimore wins 11 and Birmingham wins 12. 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 Baltimore to Birmingham or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($202,900 vs $123,000 median home), income ($58,349 vs $42,464), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baltimore, MD and Birmingham, AL are about 692 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.