HEAD TO HEAD
Birmingham vs Tuscaloosa
Birmingham and Tuscaloosa split the factors 2–2 — it comes down to which ones you weight.
Birmingham, AL
wins 2 of 5 factors
Tuscaloosa, AL
wins 2 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Birmingham | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 90 | 92 ◆ |
| Affordable to rent | 78 ◆ | 77 |
| Climate comfort | 84 | 86 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 57 | 57 |
| Big-city amenities | 88 ◆ | 55 |
By the numbers
| Figure | Birmingham | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $263K | $223K |
| Typical rent | $1,448/mo | $1,485/mo |
| Average temperature | 17°C | 17.6°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 4.48 kWh/m²/day | 4.51 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #51 | #188 |
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.