Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norfolk, VA
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Tuscaloosa leads 13 of 23 categories
Norfolk
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$60,998 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
236,973 ✓ Larger
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
13
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.
Norfolk, VA
Pros
15% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Households earn $13,741 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3772.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Rent averages $208/mo less ($980 vs $1,188)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Homes cost $26k less ($228,300 vs $254,200)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
More college-educated — 38.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Norfolk
Cons
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Norfolk by $13,741/yr
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Norfolk
Median Income
$13,741
$60,998 vs $47,257/yr
Norfolk
Violent Crime
15% lower
469.5 vs 553.4 per 100k
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$26k less
$228,300 vs $254,200
Tuscaloosa
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 88.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norfolk, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $254,200 | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,188 | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,998 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.7 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.3% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 124⚠ High ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 180⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.2% | 38.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.3% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norfolk City Public Schools | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.0°F | 56.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.7" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 236,973 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 32.2 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 45.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.3% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norfolk's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tuscaloosa leads 13 of 23 categories. Norfolk wins 10 and Tuscaloosa wins 13. 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 Norfolk to Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($254,200 vs $228,300 median home), income ($60,998 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norfolk, VA and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 686 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.