Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntsville, AL
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Huntsville leads 15 of 23 categories
Huntsville
Alabama
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8
Median Household Income
$67,874 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
215,025 ✓ Larger
Montgomery
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
199,819
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntsville, AL
Pros
19% less violent crime than Montgomery
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.6%)
Households earn $13,708 more per year on average
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Montgomery
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $94k less ($141,900 vs $236,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 50°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntsville
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Huntsville by $13,708/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntsville
Median Income
$13,708
$67,874 vs $54,166/yr
Huntsville
Violent Crime
19% lower
483.2 vs 594.6 per 100k
Huntsville
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.6% vs 7.2% unemployment
Montgomery
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 94.8 (100 = US avg)
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$94k less
$141,900 vs $236,300
Montgomery
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 88.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntsville, AL | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $236,300 | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $1,026 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,874 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter | 19.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntsville City | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.1°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 215,025 ✓ Larger | 199,819 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 53.5% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 23.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 15.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntsville's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Montgomery is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 15 of 23 categories. Huntsville wins 15 and Montgomery wins 8. 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 Huntsville to Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,300 vs $141,900 median home), income ($67,874 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntsville, AL and Montgomery, AL are about 169 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.