Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Roseville, CA
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Roseville leads 15 of 22 categories
Roseville
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$112,265 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
148,879 ✓ 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.
Roseville, CA
Pros
Households earn $65,008 more per year on average
60% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (4.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $596,700
Higher rents — median is $1,940/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Tuscaloosa
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Homes cost $368k less ($228,300 vs $596,700)
Rent averages $960/mo less ($980 vs $1,940)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Roseville
Commutes run 9 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 Roseville by $65,008/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 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Roseville
Median Income
$65,008
$112,265 vs $47,257/yr
Roseville
Violent Crime
60% lower
219.2 vs 553.4 per 100k
Roseville
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$368k less
$228,300 vs $596,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Roseville, CA | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $596,700⚠ High | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,940⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $112,265 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.1% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 62 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 68 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.6:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Roseville City Elementary | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.0°F | 56.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer | 92.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.2" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 148,879 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 39.8 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 68.1% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 17.1% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Roseville's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Roseville leads 15 of 22 categories. Roseville 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 Roseville to Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($596,700 vs $228,300 median home), income ($112,265 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Roseville, CA and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 1,916 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.