The Ultimate Guide to Moving to Birmingham
From a low cost of living and rich history to a growing industry, there are more than a few reasons to move to Birmingham. Read on for more pros and cons.
Written by Macy Fouse
Reviewed by Brittni Brinn
Living in Birmingham comes with quite a few perks, like a lower cost of living and warm weather for most of the year. That being said, there are a handful of factors you’ll want to consider before making the move.
Birmingham is a Southern icon, from the significant role it played in the Civil Rights Movement to being the home of the Vulcan statue, the largest cast iron statue in the world. The South may be known as a somewhat polarizing area, but Birmingham’s growing, diverse culture is set to change that.
As Alabama’s biggest city, folks are flocking to Birmingham for dozens of reasons. Before you join them, you’ll want to consider all of the angles first. We’ve compiled this handy guide to help you decide whether Birmingham is the right move for you.
What you need to know about Birmingham before you move
Birmingham is the perfect mix of quintessential Southernness and growing city culture. Home to scenic hills and thousands of green acres for hiking and biking, you’ll forget you’re even in a city at all. Between its rich history, thriving culinary scene, and exciting culture, Birmingham is a hidden gem among American cities.
1. You might just save some money
If you’re moving from a small town, Birmingham might seem expensive—but if you’re moving from a bigger city nearby like Nashville or Atlanta, you may be pleasantly surprised with the cost of living (COL) in Magic City. The overall cost of living in the city is lower than the US average, but it’s slightly higher than the Alabama state average.
Let’s start with everyone’s biggest expense: housing. Whether you’re renting or
buying a place
, you can expect pretty reasonable prices to live in Birmingham. In fact, you can rent a studio apartment for an average of $824 a month. Housing isn’t the only place you’ll see some changes in your expenses—the costs of food, healthcare, and transportation are also lower than the US state average, if only by a few percentage points. The one place you may not save much? Utilities‚ coming in at 1% higher than the national average.
The cost of living may sound compelling, but Alabama’s lower cost of living also means a lower average income. Across the Birmingham metropolitan area, the median income comes out to be $26,746 as of 2021. If you’re moving from high-COL places like California or New York, you may get a significant pay cut.
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2. Job hunting shouldn’t be a problem
Thanks to Alabama’s lower operating costs, less traffic, and cheaper taxes, Birmingham has been named one of the fastest-growing smaller cities for entrepreneurs in recent years. This has led to an uptick in job opportunities in a variety of industries.
The Magic City has come a long way since its iron and steel industry days. While the metal manufacturing biz is still thriving, the fastest growing industry sectors in the area are currently healthcare, corporations, and finance thanks to companies like Encompass Health, University of Alabama Medical Center, and Regions Bank.
3. Be on the lookout for property crime
Birmingham has a lot going for it, but it’s also the third most dangerous midsize city in the US according to its crime statistics. On one hand, overall violent crime has decreased since 2021—but gun violence and homicides have risen by 62% in the last year alone.
Don’t get too scared, though—almost 50% of the crimes are property crimes, like burglary, theft, or vehicle theft, and property crime rates have decreased more than 5% over the last year. In light of these statistics, it’s a good idea to invest in some extra safety measures, like a
home alarm system
, an anti-theft system
for your car, and a comprehensive car insurance policy
. 4. It’s one of the best cities to raise a family—or a fur family
From countless parks, museums, and activities to excellent schools, Birmingham is one of the most family-friendly cities in the state. With the median age landing around 36 years old, young professionals and families are thriving.
Despite Alabama’s low education ranking in the US, Birmingham is home to more top-ranked public schools than any other city in the state, including Mountain Brook High School, Crestline Elementary School, and Vestavia Hills High School.
5. Birmingham could be your pet paradise
You’re not the only one moving to a new city—your fur babies need to love their new home, too. Thankfully, Birmingham makes it easy. Wallethub has consistently ranked the city in the top 15 most pet-friendly cities using metrics like Veterinary Care Costs, (5th), Dog-Friendly Restaurants per Capita (19th), and Veterinarians per Capita (10th).
In 2021, Alabama passed a law making it legal for pets to join their people on restaurant patios all over the state. On top of that, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society is working on an expansive new state-of-the-art campus for four-legged friends everywhere. Add that to the already-high number of dog-friendly breweries and dog parks, and you’ll have one very satisfied pup.
6. Get ready for the traffic, for better or for worse
According to the
Global Traffic Scorecard
, Birmingham drivers lost an average of 18 hours to traffic in 2021. If you’re moving to the city from a larger metropolis, however, Birmingham’s traffic will feel like a walk in the park. Compared to nearby Atlanta’s staggering 53 lost hours, Birmingham is sitting pretty. While Birmingham does have an extensive bus network—the Metro Area Express (MAX)—most residents drive their own cars with an average of two cars per household. This could account for the city’s high accident rate, which is nearly two times more than the national average at 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people. If you’re planning on bringing your car to cruise Magic City, you’ll want to make sure your
Alabama car insurance
policy includes a hefty amount of collision coverage
. If you don’t live in the MAX service areas and don’t want to face traffic, you may be out of luck. Birmingham has a low
Walk Score
and a serious lack of bike lanes—but they’re working on it!Let Jerry find you the best homeowners insurance policy for your needs
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7. If you like variety, you’ll love the weather
With such close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the climate of Alabama is largely influenced by all that warm sea air, which covers the state for most of the year. Considering that, you can expect Birmingham summers to be pretty darn muggy, which is par for the course when you live in the South. Even if the temperatures don’t usually top 95 degrees, the high humidity can be downright oppressive with the heat index reaching over 110 degrees.
Winters rarely dip below 21 degrees, but temperatures of mid-to-upper 30s are more common. If that’s too cold for you, don’t worry—it doesn’t last long. Birmingham may experience just one snowfall in a year on average, and the cold temps only run from December to March in a typical year.
Does Birmingham live up to its stereotypes?
Even though it’s a relatively metropolitan area, Birmingham is still a very Southern city, which comes with its own host of stereotypes. While you can expect to run into rabid college football fans, hear a few strong accents, and eat top-notch barbecue, you’ll want to prepare yourself for the culture shock if you’re coming from another region.
It’s true that you may notice strong religious ties and racial tensions in some pockets of the city, but as with most places, it depends on where you’re hanging out. Birmingham itself is a diverse, welcoming city with a rich cultural history, bustling arts scene, incredible food, and friendly people.
If that sounds like your kind of city, keep reading for tips on making the move to Magic City.
Key Takeaway Crime rates and hot summers are the prices you’ll pay for a low cost of living, exceptional schools, and mild winters.
MORE: Homeowners insurance in Alabama
Finding a place to live in Birmingham
Choosing a place to live in Birmingham could be the most important decision you’ll make. After all, your living arrangements could make or break your experience in the city. Luckily, Birmingham’s current housing market isn’t too wild.
If you’re
moving from another state
, the cost to buy a home in Birmingham may be a nice change of pace since housing costs are 16% below the US average. On the other hand, if you’re moving from another town in Alabama, you may be in for a rude awakening: the cost of housing in Birmingham is 19% higher than the state average. As of November 2022, the median listing price for a Birmingham home was just $165,000—but the median sold price was over $230,000. Still, the cost you may pay depends on where you’re looking to buy—or if you’re looking to buy!
You may decide to rent for a bit while you settle into the city. If so, you can expect to pay an average of $1,278 in monthly rent for a small apartment. Living in areas like Belle Meade or Southside will bump that up to an average of nearly $1,900 a month in rent, but opting to live somewhere like Gate City or Bainbridge Trace could bring your monthly rent to less than $1,000.
When you’re searching for a home in a city like Birmingham, you’ll want to consider your budget while also considering the crime rate of a neighborhood. Luckily, the city has 99 different neighborhoods to choose from—and that’s not even counting the suburbs.
Here’s a quick overview of where you can start your search:
- Best neighborhoods for renters: Forest Park, Lakeview, Parkside
- Most iconic neighborhoods: Highland Park, Five Points South, Southside
- Most affordable neighborhoods: Graymont, Collegeville, Wyland
- Best neighborhoods for families: Oxmoor, Crestwood South, Redmont Park
- Best suburbs: Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Indian Springs Village
If possible, spend some time getting a feel for a neighborhood before you commit to living there to make sure it’s a good fit for you.
Pro Tip You can lower your rent and stick closer to the city by finding roommates to share costs.
Moving to Birmingham checklist
Once you’ve found your perfect neighborhood, it’s time to start making arrangements to get there. Here are some handy checklists to keep you on the right track throughout the process, from the packing stage to settling into your new home.
Before you go
Leading up to the big move, make sure you:
After you get there
When you and your belongings arrive safely in Birmingham, you can breathe easy—almost. Don’t forget these crucial steps to getting situated in your new life:
- Register your carto be legal in Alabama.
- Update your mailing address, voter registration, and healthcare information.
- Get to know your new neighborhood! Go out and discover the restaurants, coffee shops, dog parks, and nightlife that make your neighborhood unique.
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FAQs
Is it worth moving to Birmingham?
Only you know the right answer to this question, but we can give you a quick summary. If you can’t stand the heat, prefer to walk or ride your bike to work, or leave your doors unlocked at night, Birmingham may not be the place for you. If you’re ready to experience some rich Southern culture and save money while doing it, it’s probably worth it.
How much money do I need to move to Birmingham?
This depends on where you’re moving from and how you’re doing it. If you’re moving from across the country and using professional movers, you could pay well over a few thousand dollars—but if you have a shorter move and you’re handling it yourself, it could be less than $150.
As for the salary you’ll need to live comfortably in Birmingham,
MIT’s Living Wage Calculator
estimates a single adult will need to make $35,545 before taxes—but this goes up if you have kids or extra expenses. Save an average of 18% by bundling your home and auto insurance
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