Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Fremont leads 15 of 22 categories
Fremont
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fremont, CA
Pros
Households earn $121,766 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (4.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,231,500
Higher rents — median is $2,824/mo
Cost of living runs 28% higher than Tuscaloosa
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Homes cost $1003k less ($228,300 vs $1,231,500)
Rent averages $1844/mo less ($980 vs $2,824)
28% cheaper overall cost of living than Fremont
Commutes run 15 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Smaller class sizes — 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fremont by $121,766/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 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fremont
Median Income
$121,766
$169,023 vs $47,257/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
65% lower
195.7 vs 553.4 per 100k
Fremont
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
28% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$1003k less
$228,300 vs $1,231,500
Tuscaloosa
Summer Heat
15.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 77.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, CA | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,231,500⚠ High | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 56.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fremont leads 15 of 22 categories. Fremont wins 15 and Tuscaloosa wins 7. 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 Fremont to Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $228,300 median home), income ($169,023 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 1,950 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.