City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Huntsville, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Huntsville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

218,814
Residents
$70,778
Median income
$263,100
Median home
$1,310
Median rent (state)

Huntsville - the verdict

Nationally, Huntsville sits in the 51st percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

51st
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
17th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Huntsville, AL

218,814 people live in Huntsville, Alabama - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Huntsville brings in $70,778 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.2%. Home values in Huntsville run a median of $263,100, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. 46.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1,485 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 7% from five years earlier. Huntsville's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2871.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.9°F with 54.3 inches of precipitation per year and 2.4 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Alabama at 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,310 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). The average commute for Huntsville workers runs 16.7 minutes, with 77.5% driving alone and 13.1% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 94.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

218,814 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$70,778 /yr

Poverty 10.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Huntsville compare to other US cities?

Where Huntsville sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 51% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Alabama, Huntsville ranks #159 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Huntsville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

51stIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

51st percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Huntsville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Huntsville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Huntsville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Huntsville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$263,100 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Huntsville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Huntsville, AL Huntsville, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Huntsville, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Huntsville, AL median $70,778/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Huntsville, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Huntsville, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 46.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
218,814
Median Income
$70,778
Median Home Value
$263,100
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Labor force participation
60.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
46.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2871.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
483.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2388.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.9°F
Annual Precipitation
54.3"
Annual Snowfall
2.4"

Schools

Total Schools
47
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
210,000 residents220,000 residents230,000 residents240,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 216,292 residents 233,627 residents ▲ +8.0%
Huntsville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
1,485
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,245
detached homes
Multifamily
240
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,603
2020 1,789
2021 2,811
2022 1,130
2023 2,600
2024 1,485

Permit volume decreased 7% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.7 minutes
Drive Alone
77.5%
Carpool
6.8%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
13.1%
Other
1.0%

Based on 107,809 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Huntsville sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,310/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Birmingham
199,322 people
Montgomery
198,440 people
Mobile
185,097 people
Tuscaloosa
107,699 people
Hoover
92,401 people
Auburn
78,738 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Huntsville's 218,814 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Modesto, CA
218,614 people
Spring Valley, NV
219,913 people
Port St. Lucie, FL
220,453 people
Tacoma, WA
220,482 people
San Bernardino, CA
221,774 people
Hialeah, FL
221,901 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Huntsville's $70,778 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

New Cordell, OK
$70,780 median income
Jefferson, NY
$70,781 median income
Baltic, OH
$70,781 median income
Sharonville, OH
$70,781 median income
Awendaw, SC
$70,781 median income
Hanna City, IL
$70,774 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Huntsville, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Huntsville, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 58.4% 29.7% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.1% White 58.4% Black or African American 29.7% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.9% Two or more races 6.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Huntsville compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Huntsville (this city) 218,814 $70,778
Birmingham 199,322 $44,376
Montgomery 198,440 $55,687
Mobile 185,097 $51,090
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Huntsville, AL?

What is the population of Huntsville, AL? +

The population of Huntsville, AL stands at 218,814 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Huntsville, AL? +

In Huntsville, the typical household earns $70,778 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Huntsville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Huntsville; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Huntsville, AL safe? +

Huntsville has a total crime rate of 2871.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Huntsville, AL? +

Homes in Huntsville carry a median value of $263,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Huntsville? +

Climate normals put Huntsville's yearly average temperature at 62.9°F, 54.3 inches of precipitation, and 2.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.