Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Tuscaloosa leads 13 of 23 categories
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$50,155 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500 ✓ Larger
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
105,797
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Households earn $2,898 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 6.8%)
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
46% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (6.8%)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Baton Rouge by $2,898/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Baton Rouge
Median Income
$2,898
$50,155 vs $47,257/yr
Baton Rouge
Median Home Value
$11k less
$217,700 vs $228,300
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Violent Crime
46% lower
553.4 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Tuscaloosa
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
6.8% vs 8.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 ✓ Lower | $228,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High | 146⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% | 38.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F ✓ Warmer | 56.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 58.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 31.9 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tuscaloosa leads 13 of 23 categories. Baton Rouge wins 10 and Tuscaloosa wins 13. 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 Baton Rouge to Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $228,300 median home), income ($50,155 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 286 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.