Alabama
AL • South
Quality of Life Score
47.01
State Comparison
Alabama vs Kentucky
Kentucky is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Alabama, Kentucky has higher incomes, Kentucky has lower state income tax, and Alabama gets more sunshine.
Alabama
14
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
Kentucky
16
/ 30
metrics won
KY wins Housing
KY wins Quality of Life
AL wins Climate
AL wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Alabama
vs
Kentucky
winner
Kentucky scores higher on quality of life — 0.52 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Kentucky is 0.6 points cheaper overall
Kentucky has the lower cost-of-living index. Kentucky is at 88.0, while Alabama is at 88.6.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $4.21 further in Alabama
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $114.62 of local buying power in Alabama, versus $110.41 in Kentucky.
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Income
Kentucky income is 6.0% higher
Kentucky has the higher median household income at $58,218, compared with $54,943 in Alabama.
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Jobs
Kentucky has the higher minimum wage
Kentucky has the higher statewide minimum wage at $7.25/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Alabama.
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Housing
Alabama homes cost about 1.0x more
Kentucky has the lower median home value at $172,800, versus $174,600 in Alabama.
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Taxes
Kentucky has lower state income tax
Kentucky has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 4.50%, compared with 5.00% in Alabama.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Alabama
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.0%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Kentucky
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 4.5%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (87.2 for Alabama, 89.1 for Kentucky). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Alabama
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Alabama
- Alabama has lower property tax rates on average.
- Alabama job growth trend is stronger.
- Alabama education proxy is higher.
- Alabama has more sunny days.
Cons
- Alabama has a higher overall cost of living.
- Alabama has a higher housing cost index.
- Alabama has higher median home values.
- Alabama shows lower median income.
- Alabama has a higher violent crime rate.
- Alabama health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
Kentucky
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Kentucky
- Kentucky has a lower overall cost of living.
- Kentucky has a lower housing cost index.
- Kentucky has lower median home values.
- Kentucky shows higher median income.
- Kentucky has a lower violent crime rate.
- Kentucky health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
Cons
- Kentucky has higher property tax rates on average.
- Kentucky job growth trend is weaker.
- Kentucky education proxy is lower.
- Kentucky has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AL
|
KY
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Montgomery | Frankfort |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
5,024,279
|
4,505,836
|
|
Median Income
|
$54,943
|
$58,218
|
|
Cost of Living
|
88.6
|
88.0
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$174,600
|
$172,800
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.38%
|
0.75%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
5.00%
|
4.50%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$7.25/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.840/gal
|
$3.910/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
16.06 c/kWh
|
14.27 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
47.01
|
47.53
|
|
Average Temperature
|
62.8°F
|
55.6°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
99 days
|
93 days
|
|
Land Area
|
52,419 sq mi
|
40,408 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
95.8 per sq mi
|
111.5 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 14, 1819 (#22)
|
June 1, 1792 (#15)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
17
shown
Saving Money
Kentucky is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 88.0 vs 88.6 in Alabama. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Alabama is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.840/gal in Alabama vs $3.910/gal in Kentucky. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Electricity Rates
Kentucky has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 14.27 c/kWh in Kentucky vs 16.06 c/kWh in Alabama. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Kentucky is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.97x in Kentucky vs 3.18x in Alabama. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Kentucky is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 18.6% in Kentucky vs 20.2% in Alabama. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
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Property Tax
Alabama has lower property taxes
Effective property tax rate: 0.38% in Alabama vs 0.75% in Kentucky. A lower rate usually means a smaller yearly tax bill relative to home value.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Alabama vs Kentucky - Common Questions
Q Is Alabama cheaper to live in than Kentucky?
Kentucky has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Kentucky scores 88.0 versus 88.6 for Alabama - a gap of 0.6 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Alabama or Kentucky?
$100 goes further in Alabama. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $114.62 in Alabama, compared with $110.41 in Kentucky.
Q Which state is bigger - Alabama or Kentucky?
Alabama is larger, covering 52,419 sq mi compared with 40,408 sq mi for Kentucky - roughly 1.3x the size.
Q Does Alabama or Kentucky have more people?
Alabama has the larger population at 5,024,279, compared with 4,505,836 in Kentucky.
Q Which state has higher household income - Alabama or Kentucky?
Kentucky has the higher median household income at $58,218, versus $54,943 in Alabama.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Alabama or Kentucky?
Kentucky has the lower state income tax top rate at 4.50%, compared with 5.00% in Alabama.
Q Is housing cheaper in Alabama or Kentucky?
Homes are cheaper in Kentucky, where the median home value is $172,800, versus $174,600 in Alabama.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Alabama or Kentucky?
Kentucky is more densely populated at 111.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Alabama is more spread out at 95.8 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.