With A Cost Of Living 9% Lower Than The National Average, This Alabama Town Is One Of The Best Places To Live In The US

Living in America in 2025 generally means that you have to always be aware of money. Whether that means figuring out if you can afford to buy a home or a new vehicle, or just balancing your finances at the end of the month to ensure that all of your bills are paid, it is ultimately quite expensive to live in many places in the U.S. In fact, some of the most expensive states are also fairly densely populated, such as California and Massachusetts.

One state that might not come up as the most popular, or populated, but is fairly reasonable in terms of what it takes to live there is Alabama. In fact, the town of Huntsville was ranked amongst the top 100 best American cities to live in by U.S. News and World Report. If you are looking for a place to call home that won't break the bank, Huntsville might be the answer.

Unlike some of the most expensive cities in the nation to buy a home in, Huntsville offers residential real estate and property at a significantly lower price, with housing costs 28% lower than the rest of the United States, according to Redfin. As of July, 2025, the average cost of a home in Huntsville, based on Zillow's listings, is $282,953, a 2% drop since the same time in 2024.

When it comes to cost of living expenses, a family can make ends meet with just $4,140 a month, noted BestPlaces, which adds up to less than $50,000 a year in costs and is 23.3% below the national average. In fact, the same data shows that when it comes to food costs, taxes, healthcare, and transportation costs, Huntsville is 12% lower than the state of Alabama. Plus, per Payscale, Huntsville boasts a cost of living that is 9% lower than the U.S. average.

If you are a retiree looking to change your home base, there's good news: Alabama is one of the cheapest states to retire across the nation and Huntsville offers many amenities and services you'll enjoy throughout your golden years away from work. However, if retirement is still far off down the line for you, you can still find work and make a decent living in Huntsville.

Payscale highlighted that, as of July 2025, the average base salary a worker could earn in Huntsville is $84,000, which is up 4%. The town is a particularly great place to work if you are based in the sciences and/or engineering fields, with companies like Dynetics, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) all offering competitive pay in Huntsville. However, those working in minimum wage positions could be disappointed since Alabama adheres to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Even so, with the cost of living being so much cheaper than other cities across the country, even those earning the least can live more comfortably in Huntsville, Alabama.