HEAD TO HEAD
Birmingham vs New Orleans
New Orleans leads Birmingham on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Birmingham, AL
wins 1 of 5 factors
New Orleans, LA
wins 3 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Birmingham | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 90 | 90 |
| Affordable to rent | 78 ◆ | 72 |
| Climate comfort | 84 | 100 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 57 | 64 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 88 | 89 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Birmingham | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $263K | $261K |
| Typical rent | $1,448/mo | $1,622/mo |
| Average temperature | 17°C | 21.1°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 4.48 kWh/m²/day | 4.74 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #51 | #47 |
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.