Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Fishers leads 13 of 23 categories
Fishers
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fishers, IN
Pros
Households earn $79,291 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.3 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $339,000
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Rent averages $498/mo less ($980 vs $1,478)
Homes cost $111k less ($228,300 vs $339,000)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 35°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Fishers
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $79,291/yr
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
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 2.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Median Income
$79,291
$126,548 vs $47,257/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
87% lower
72.9 vs 553.4 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
4.3 pp lower
2.5% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$111k less
$228,300 vs $339,000
Tuscaloosa
Summer Heat
7.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 56.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 | 105,797 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 13 of 23 categories. Fishers wins 13 and Tuscaloosa wins 10. 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 Fishers to Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $228,300 median home), income ($126,548 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 473 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.