| Index | Huntsville | Alabama | National |
| Cost of living | 97 | 89 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 96 | 100 |
| Health care | 95 | 95 | 100 |
| Housing | 100 | 74 | 100 |
| Transportation | 96 | 95 | 100 |
| Utilities | 100 | 97 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 91 | 94 | 100 |
| Household Items | 94 | 96 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 93 | 93 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Huntsville allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Huntsville stands at 97, marking it 3% lower than the national average.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Huntsville are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Huntsville can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
Nobody knows their city better than the people who actually live there. So, we asked 16 local residents how they would rate the cost of living in Huntsville and this is how they responded. 69% of people said that the cost of living was affordable, with prices decreasing, while 31% of people said that the cost of living was very expensive and prices continue to rise.
Is Huntsville an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Huntsville, the median home price is 4.2% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 10.3% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Huntsville come in at $83,204, which is 2.3% higher than the national average.
Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Huntsville comes in at 0.4% higher than the national average.
Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Huntsville, the housing index stands at 0.1% lower than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Huntsville, the groceries index registers 4.5% lower than the national average.
The Huntsville cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $125,203 | $10,434 | $2,921 | $3,756 |
| Renters | $50,473 | $4,206 | $1,178 | $1,514 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Alabama | 4% | 13.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Alabama | 2% | 5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Paint Rock, AL | 174 | 78 | 22.3% |
| Gurley, AL | 594 | 85 | 14.5% |
| New Market, AL | 1,150 | 86 | 14.3% |
| New Hope, AL | 2,949 | 89 | 11.0% |
| Owens Cross Roads, AL | 2,312 | 90 | 9.9% |
| Huntsville, AL | 207,126 | 97 | 3.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 207,784 | 123 | 23.0% |
| Aurora, IL | 206,020 | 105 | 5.0% |
| Sunrise Manor, NV | 205,701 | 104 | 3.7% |
| Amarillo, TX | 205,514 | 93 | 6.6% |
| Yonkers, NY | 204,945 | 142 | 41.6% |
| Huntsville, AL | 207,126 | 97 | 3.5% |
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