Head to head
Baton Rouge, LA vs Birmingham, AL
Baton Rouge is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $1/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $3,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Birmingham is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Baton Rouge55 | Birmingham55 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,819 | $3,820 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,508 | $8,326 |
| Salary for comfort | $68,500/yr | $72,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,204 | $1,266 |
| Median home value | $224,500 | $138,600 |
| Median household income | $49,944 | $44,376 |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 4.6% |
| Housing score | 46 | 60 |
| Jobs score | 47 | 36 |
| Safety score | 9 | 5 |
| Climate score | 95 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 35 | 42 |
| Population | 223.7K | 199.3K |
| Summer high / winter low | 92° / 41° | 91° / 34° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Baton Rouge, LA
Birmingham, AL