Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Victorville, CA
🏆 Birmingham leads 12 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431 ✓ Larger
Victorville
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$65,746 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
267⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
134,417
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $178k less ($123,000 vs $300,600)
Rent averages $466/mo less ($995 vs $1,461)
Commutes run 19 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (7.5%)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Victorville
More college-educated — 29.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Victorville by $23,282/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
Victorville, CA
Pros
Households earn $23,282 more per year on average
19% less violent crime than Birmingham
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,461/mo
Violent crime (1015.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Birmingham
Higher unemployment (10.3% vs 7.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$178k less
$123,000 vs $300,600
Birmingham
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
7.5% vs 10.3% unemployment
Victorville
Median Income
$23,282
$65,746 vs $42,464/yr
Victorville
Violent Crime
19% lower
1015.6 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Victorville
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 91.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Victorville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $300,600 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,461⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $65,746 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 40.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 9.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 201⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 267⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C- (57) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% ✓ Higher | 77.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | Victor Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 5.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 ✓ Larger | 134,417 |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 59.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 30.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Victorville's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Birmingham is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Birmingham leads 12 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 12 and Victorville 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 Birmingham to Victorville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $300,600 median home), income ($42,464 vs $65,746), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Victorville, CA are about 1,744 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.