Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 Killeen leads 13 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431 ✓ Larger
Killeen
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,086 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
153,708
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $52k less ($123,000 vs $175,400)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (7.5%)
More college-educated — 29.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $89/mo less ($995 vs $1,084)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Median income trails Killeen by $14,622/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
Killeen, TX
Pros
58% less violent crime than Birmingham
Households earn $14,622 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 7.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$52k less
$123,000 vs $175,400
Birmingham
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
7.5% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 92.6 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Median Income
$14,622
$57,086 vs $42,464/yr
Killeen
Violent Crime
58% lower
527.6 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Killeen
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 91.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $175,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,084 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $57,086 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 91.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 36.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 ✓ Larger | 153,708 |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 46.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Killeen leads 13 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 10 and Killeen 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 Birmingham to Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $175,400 median home), income ($42,464 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Killeen, TX are about 660 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.