Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntsville, AL
VS
Spring Hill, FL
🏆 Huntsville leads 11 of 20 categories
Huntsville
Alabama
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
215,025 ✓ Larger
Spring Hill
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,588
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
116,882
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntsville, AL
Pros
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.6%)
Rent averages $203/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,223)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Households earn $6,286 more per year on average
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Spring Hill
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Spring Hill, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 72°F vs 50°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 4.6%)
Median income trails Huntsville by $6,286/yr
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Huntsville
Longer commutes — 29.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntsville
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Median Income
$6,286
$67,874 vs $61,588/yr
Huntsville
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.6% vs 6.4% unemployment
Spring Hill
Median Home Value
$15k less
$221,500 vs $236,300
Spring Hill
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 88.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntsville, AL | Spring Hill, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $236,300 | $221,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $1,223 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,874 ✓ Higher | $61,588 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 17.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntsville City | HERNANDO |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F | 71.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.1°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" ✓ Drier | 56.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 215,025 ✓ Larger | 116,882 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 43.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% | 22.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntsville's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Spring Hill's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 11 of 20 categories. Huntsville wins 11 and Spring Hill wins 9. 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 Spring Hill or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,300 vs $221,500 median home), income ($67,874 vs $61,588), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntsville, AL and Spring Hill, FL are about 495 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.