BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Birmingham, AL

D
Score
44/100
Rank #151 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For remote work, Birmingham is a specialized pick when you value typical rent (2br) and commute 45+ min share. Overall, it’s a more specialized pick in this set (#151 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is median household income.

Methodology · Sources · AL rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Birmingham ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,005/mo (30% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 7% (37% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 31% (12% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Median household income: $44,376 (41% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 84% (7% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
199,322
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 47%Female 53%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,005/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
8%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
84%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$44,376
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
31%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
7%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
98/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
84/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
11/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
93/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

11%
Less than HS
58%
HS / Some college
18%
Bachelor’s
12%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

8%
Work from home
92%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

84%
Broadband
16%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,005/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
84%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
8%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$44,376
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
31%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
7%

Similar cities (by score)

#149 Rochester, NY
44/100
#150 Springfield, MO
44/100
#152 Worcester, MA
44/100
#153 Rockford, IL
44/100

FAQ

›What is Birmingham’s remote work score and rank?
Birmingham, AL scores D (44/100) and ranks #151 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Birmingham city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Birmingham, AL?
Population is about 199,322 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Birmingham, AL?
About 47% male and 53% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Birmingham, AL?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,005/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Birmingham, AL?
Work-from-home share is 8% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Birmingham, AL?
Broadband subscription is 84% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Birmingham, AL?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 11%, HS/some college 58%, bachelor’s 18%, advanced 12%.
›Where does this data come from for Birmingham, AL?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).