Cost of living in the Birmingham Metro Area
7 counties across AL. Population: 1,181,432.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Birmingham Metro Area
Average rent across the Birmingham metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Birmingham Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 7 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Birmingham Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Birmingham Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 7 counties in the Birmingham Metro Area
The Birmingham metro area includes 7 counties. Sorted by population.
- Birmingham AL$3,228/moPop669,744 Rent$1,144/mo Income$64,589/yrBirmingham AL 669,744 $1,144/mo $64,589/yr $3,228/mo
- Shelby County AL$3,430/moPop226,955 Rent$1,144/mo Income$93,543/yrShelby County AL 226,955 $1,144/mo $93,543/yr $3,430/mo
- St. Clair County AL$3,305/moPop92,903 Rent$1,144/mo Income$78,993/yrSt. Clair County AL 92,903 $1,144/mo $78,993/yr $3,305/mo
- Walker County AL$2,653/moPop64,886 Rent$612/mo Income$54,509/yrWalker County AL 64,886 $612/mo $54,509/yr $2,653/mo
- Blount County AL$3,136/moPop59,292 Rent$1,144/mo Income$61,096/yrBlount County AL 59,292 $1,144/mo $61,096/yr $3,136/mo
- Chilton County AL$2,732/moPop45,500 Rent$682/mo Income$61,873/yrChilton County AL 45,500 $682/mo $61,873/yr $2,732/mo
- Bibb County AL$3,007/moPop22,152 Rent$1,144/mo Income$51,215/yrBibb County AL 22,152 $1,144/mo $51,215/yr $3,007/mo
Compare counties in the Birmingham Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Birmingham Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Birmingham Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Birmingham metro area is approximately $3,213 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 7 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Birmingham Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Birmingham metro area is $1,097 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Birmingham Metro Area?
Walker County, AL is the most affordable county in the Birmingham metro area at approximately $2,653 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Birmingham Metro Area?
Shelby County, AL is the most expensive county in the Birmingham metro area at approximately $3,430 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Birmingham Metro Area?
The Birmingham metro area covers 7 counties. The five largest by population are Birmingham, Shelby County, St. Clair County, Walker County, Blount County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.