2019 Best Places to Live in AlabamaAbout this List

Madison

• Town in Alabama
• 171

Current Resident: I have lived in the Huntsville / Madison, Alabama area for my entire life. I moved for three years because my husband was in the military. I didn't fully appreciate the beauty, affordability, safety, education, and work opportunities Huntsville / Madison offers until I had the opportunity to spend time in other parts of the United States. Nothing compares!
Read 171 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 47,079 Population

Homewood

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 49

Former Resident: My experience at Homewood has been nothing but the best! I was raised in Homewood and went to Homewood City Schools for the majority of my life. The teachers at Homewood want nothing but the best for their students. They go the long mile to provide an environment of learning that enables students to be individuals of their own. Homewood is a family oriented community. They strive to do their best to keep the community going. The community has fundraisers, events, and foundations to give back to the city. As a senior in college finishing up my last semester, I appreciate the people who have raised and helped me achieve my overall success!
Read 49 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 25,678 Population

Hoover

• Town in Alabama
• 160

Current Resident: Hoover has been a wonderful place to live, as I have lived here for over 2 years now! I came to Hoover after living on 280, where my apartment was involved in a fire, and so I was in search of a new apartment. My spouse and I was very pleased to find Ridge Crossings Apartments, and it was even better that they were in our price range. We have enjoyed being closer to our college campus, Sam's, and many more place we enjoy eating at. And the traffic is much better than 280!
Read 160 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 84,150 Population

Vestavia Hills

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 31

Current Resident: It's my hometown! I love it because there is a small-town atmosphere but it's also close to a larger city with plenty of good music, sports and entertainment.
Read 31 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 34,003 Population

Mountain Brook

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 19

Current Resident: Love it! It has been a great community to grow up in, especially living in Crestline. As a kid growing up, I was able to spend most of my time playing in the neighborhood with neighborhood friends. The schools and teachers are exceptional. I am fortunate to have been able to attend a school that strives to prepare you for college. Mountain Brook is a great place to raise your family!
Read 19 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 20,438 Population

Indian Springs Village

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 6

Nearby Resident: There is not much nightlife but the cost of living, safety, public school, family friendliness, and diversity is all pretty good.
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 2,578 Population

Auburn

• Town in Alabama
• 186

Current Resident: I've grown up in Auburn my whole life. It is a beautiful place to live. There is hardly any trash on the sides of the road, the landscape is beautiful, the people are beautiful, the schools are beautiful, even downtown Auburn is beautiful! This city is filled with kind people. You can walk down the street and people will say hello to you, or even a "War Eagle!" if you're lucky. The only downside to Auburn is the nightlife. If you're looking for a wholesome, occasionally boring, place to live; Auburn is the city for you! With a low crime rate, the nightlife is just that, low. Auburn is an amazing city to raise children in. Auburn is safe, beautiful, and friendly. War Eagle!
Read 186 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 61,462 Population

Meadowbrook

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 7

Niche User: Crime is not a major concern in this area. There are police that live throughout the neighborhood, and they can be seen riding through the neighborhood during the day.
Read 7 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 9,115 Population

Helena

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 76

Current Resident: I have absolutely loved living in Helena. It's such a great place. Friendly neighbors, quiet and safe. Everything is relatively close by!
Read 76 Reviews

• A

• B+

• 17,928 Population

Pelham

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 48

Current Resident: I have called Pelham home for 21 years now, and I have always loved growing up here. It's a large town with a great community that strives to make our area better everyday. It is situated far enough from Birmingham that you can avoid the hustle-and-bustle of downtown, but it's just a quick 15-20 minute drive on I-65 N if you want to experience the city. Pelham has grown tremendously over the last few years, but it still hasn't lost its small-town charm!
Read 48 Reviews

• A

• A-

• 22,941 Population

Fairhope

• Town in Alabama
• 40

Current Resident: This quaint town was an amazing place to grow up. So many safe and fantastic memories were created at Fairhope Pier, located on Mobile Bay, i.e.special school events, ie Homecoming, Prom, sports. I was given so much freedom in my teen years because my parents knew that whatever I was doing, I'd be safe and looked after by "the whole village". Fairhope is beautiful, safe and friendly!
Read 40 Reviews

• A

• A

• 19,561 Population

Huntsville

• City in Alabama
• 605

Current Resident: I've lived in Huntsville for 13 years, I've seen it grow for over a decade into a large, almost metropolis type area. This is a great place for engineering, computer science, and various other technical type jobs due to attractions and various companies. The economy and population is booming. It's a pretty diverse place and not like most other areas in the South.

There's such a wide variety of restaurants, stores, and places to be! Bridge Street, Providence, and anywhere along Highway 72 from Madison to Huntsville has a plethora of stuff to do and diverse places to eat. Sometimes it's choose just once place to go out.

Huntsville is a much safer place than many other cities I can list and is full of opportunity. Definitely family friendly and has a low cost of living.

I do wish there weren't such a dense population sometimes, it's a very busy area. Sometimes I'd like to see more metropolitan works come up, and see how much the community and city as a whole can grow further.
Read 605 Reviews

• A

• B+

• 190,501 Population

Glen Iris

• Neighborhood in Birmingham, AL
• 7

Current Resident: I love this neighborhood. It's grittier than Homewood or other over-the-mountain towns, but if you value diversity, proximity to downtown, and affordable housing, then it's a winner. There are a lot students and UAB faculty and staff in the neighborhood. You have to keep an eye out--leaving your car door unlocked isn't a good idea, nor is leaving items of value out on your porch. But that's urban living for you! Having lived in Boston, I find Glen Iris reminds me of living in a "real" city--I can walk to some things, I see all kinds of people, my neighbors are friendly. Housing in the neighborhood is also appreciating as UAB grows, so now is a good time to get in.
Read 7 Reviews

• A

• D+

• 20,773 Population

Calera

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 28

Current Resident: The community always comes together for high school football games and for Calera Goes Pink in the month of October. My favorite thing about Calera is that in October, which is breast cancer awareness month, we raise thousands of dollars each year to donate. It brings the community together and unites us for a great cause.
Read 28 Reviews

• A

• A-

• 13,216 Population

Point Clear

• Town in Alabama

• A

• A

• 2,761 Population

Forest Park

• Neighborhood in Birmingham, AL
• 1

Current Resident: Beautiful area, close to everything but keep your doors locked and your eyes open. The city is still changing and not everyone is good people.
Read 1 Review

• A

• D+

• 7,782 Population

Brook Highland

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 6

• A

• A-

• 6,748 Population

Alabaster

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 82

Current Resident: From the grocery stores to the football games, there will always be people you know in Alabaster. Each of these citizens go beyond their expectations to give to the community, whether it be organizing a food drive to help the poor, bringing in local pumpkins at the church down the road, or giving out Halloween candy to the little pirates and princesses that appear at their doorway. The Alabaster community is also a big believer in family friendly festivals, Christmas spirit, the arts, and local business awareness. Each year, Alabaster has hosted City Fest, a music and arts festival for the whole family. Children enjoy long hours at the event's bouncy castles and obstacle courses, while adults kick back and chew on some well-deserved goodies. At night, the lights go down and the stage lights up as world-renowned musicians provide a free concert to the community. I am grateful that my community provides more for me than I could possibly imagine, and I hope to never leave.
Read 82 Reviews

• A

• A

• 32,567 Population

Highland Park

• Neighborhood in Birmingham, AL
• 2

Current Resident: I love Highland Park's diversity, beautiful landscapes and historical connection. I'd love to see a beautification initiative started to address the dog poo issues!
Read 2 Reviews

• A

• D+

• 7,043 Population

Florence

• Town in Alabama
• 104

Current Resident: It's always been a pleasure to be in Florence! The city is easy to navigate and there are plenty or areas to enjoy. There's also plenty of housing and job opportunities for people looking for a place to live. For visitors, there are plenty of sights such as the University of North Alabama or the Regency Square Mall to shop for souvenirs!
Read 104 Reviews

• A

• A

• 39,824 Population

Oxmoor

• Neighborhood in Birmingham, AL
• 7

Niche User: I love this neighborhood! It is very quite, chill, and laid back. Everyone kind of stays to themselves but at the same time people are friendly and will speak to you. Not many kids live in this neighborhood which is a plus for me compared to my old neighborhood. It is also very clean and very well kept up also.
Read 7 Reviews

• A

• D+

• 19,963 Population

Chelsea

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• 31

Current Resident: Love Chelsea! Great community and unity! It's thriving and constantly growing to adapt to its booming life.
Read 31 Reviews

• A-

• A-

• 12,199 Population

Daphne

• Town in Alabama
• 41

Current Resident: I moved to Daphne, AL in 2012. It is a great place to live. Daphne sits on the east side of the Mobile Bay, across the bay way from Mobile. There is always something to do here. There are many parks to enjoy, fishing, kayaking, boating and many other water activities in the Mobile Bay and rivers, beautiful wildlife and tropical foliage, great restaurants, kids activities, Art centers and much more! The best part about Daphne to me is that there are five different beaches, all within 45 minutes to an hour away! We have Gulf Shores Beach, Orange Beach, Pensacola Beach, Fort Morgan and Dauphin Island around us. The one thing about Daphne that I do not care for is the public school system. It is under the Baldwin County School District and as a student who withdrew from Daphne High School near the end of my sophomore year to home school, I feel that there are many improvements to be made.
Read 41 Reviews

• A-

• A-

• 24,685 Population

Redmont Park

• Neighborhood in Birmingham, AL

• A-

• D+

• 11,056 Population

Crestwood South

• Neighborhood in Birmingham, AL
• 5

Current Resident: Crestwood South is a close knit neighborhood that looks out for its neighbors and friends. It's closely located to downtown Birmingham, shopping areas and leisure amenities making it a very favorable place to live.
Read 5 Reviews

• A-

• D+

• 5,817 Population