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Huntsville, AL

Photo: Wikipedia

Huntsville, AL

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Demographics

Majority WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 59
Population218,814
Foreign Born3.6%
Population Density968people per mi²
Median Age36.4 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

93/100

7% below national average

A

The Real Cost of Living in Huntsville, Alabama

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $17k$32k
Comfortable $51k$75k
Luxury $128k+$198k+
Elite (Top 5%) $172k+$267k+
Affordability Ratio

94%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean86%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
40
Poor
14
Negative
5

Groceries

4 within 10 miles

1.2mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

0.6mi

Airport

The Huntsville Hospital Heliport AL36

0.6mi

Post Office

USPS — Madison, AL

8.9mi

Critical Amenities

Golf2Nearest 3.2 mi
Camping20Nearest 2.5 mi
Marina0Nearest 10.7 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink0Nearest 91.6 mi
Gun Range4Nearest 1.9 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$71k+4.3%
6% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$294k
55% below US avg
College Educated
46.2%
32% above US avg
WFH
13.1%
8% below US avg
Homeownership
58.1%
11% below US avg
Median Home
$263k
7% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
C-
Elevated

Higher crime rates than 60% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
26.7
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
+3265.9%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr+2802.9%
Homicide
0.10 / 1k Residents15% above state avg
Robbery
0.39 / 1k Residents30% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
3.02 / 1k Residents8% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr+3729.0%
Burglary
2.45 / 1k Residents14% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
18.15 / 1k Residents68% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
2.09 / 1k Residents31% above state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+15Solidly Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Huntsville, Alabama
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%200020042008

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B-
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C+
Weak9.8% of income
Property Rights
D
WeakIJ Grade D
Firearm Rights
A-
GreatFPC Grade A-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (45% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
F
ProhibitedIllegal
Gambling Laws
F
ProhibitedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season235 days323 frost-free
Annual Rainfall64.8"
Elevation650 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C+
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
B+
Good801 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak968/sq mi
Fallout Danger
C+
Weak7 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 616 mi · coast 290 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$179.6M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityNashville689k people are 100 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital164 miMontgomery, AL
Nearest Prison14 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T18:55:52.000Z

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