Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Huntsville

Alabama

$1,090/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,090 in Huntsville, AL. Overall, Huntsville, AL is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $70,778 in Huntsville, AL — about 4% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Huntsville, AL

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$815
+25% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$900
+24% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,080
+23% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,251
+31% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$263,100
+5% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$70,778
+4% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$51,740
+1% in Huntsville, AL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
36.4 yr
+2.8 yr in Huntsville, AL
Homeownership
54.8%
58.1%
+3.3 pp in Huntsville, AL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
46.2%
+13.1 pp in Huntsville, AL
Avg Commute
26.7 min
19.3 min
+7.4 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
483.2
+2% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,434.5
2,395.7
+2% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
62.1°F
+3.3°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
54.3 in
+14.7 in in Huntsville, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.62/gal
+1% in Huntsville, AL

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
16.4
+3% in Huntsville, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$24.06
+25% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / AL)
6.25%
4%
+2.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.00%
+5.0 pp in AL

Arlington vs Huntsville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Huntsville?
Huntsville, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,090 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Huntsville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $36,000 in Huntsville.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Huntsville?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Huntsville under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).