HEAD TO HEAD
Birmingham vs Huntsville
Birmingham leads Huntsville on 4 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Birmingham, AL
wins 4 of 5 factors
Huntsville, AL
wins 1 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Birmingham | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 90 ◆ | 86 |
| Affordable to rent | 78 | 80 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 84 ◆ | 80 |
| Plenty of sunshine | 57 ◆ | 55 |
| Big-city amenities | 88 ◆ | 73 |
By the numbers
| Figure | Birmingham | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $263K | $317K |
| Typical rent | $1,448/mo | $1,385/mo |
| Average temperature | 17°C | 16°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 4.48 kWh/m²/day | 4.43 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #51 | #114 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.