Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Huntsville, AL
🏆 Huntsville leads 15 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Huntsville
Alabama
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
215,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $21,338 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Huntsville
Huntsville, AL
Pros
Homes cost $449k less ($236,300 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $961/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,981)
23% less violent crime than Boston
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (4.6%)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Boston by $21,338/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$21,338
$89,212 vs $67,874/yr
Huntsville
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Violent Crime
23% lower
483.2 vs 627.9 per 100k
Huntsville
Median Home Value
$449k less
$236,300 vs $684,900
Huntsville
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
4.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Huntsville
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 88.1°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Huntsville, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $236,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $1,020 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $67,874 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 122⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 45.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% | 91.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Huntsville City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 88.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 2.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 215,025 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 57.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 19.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Huntsville's 94.8 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 15 of 23 categories. Boston wins 8 and Huntsville wins 15. 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 Boston to Huntsville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $236,300 median home), income ($89,212 vs $67,874), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Huntsville, AL are about 985 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.