cost of living

Alabama is an affordable location for those seeking a high quality of life.

The cost of housing in Alabama is quite low, with average sale prices for homes some 38 percent less than the national average. During the second quarter of 2006, the median price for a home in Alabama was $141,730, while the U.S. average was $227,533.

Alabama has among the lowest property taxes in the United States. In addition, the state can boast having the fifth lowest state/local tax burden in the country, according to 2005 data from The Tax Foundation.

Electric rates in Alabama are considerably lower than the national average, and among the lowest in the Southeast.