The Town FilesHuntsville, Alabama
City in Madison County · population 215,006 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $293,600
- Household income
- $74,714
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 60
- Median age
- 36.9
Huntsville is a city of 215,006 people in Madison County, Alabama. The median home is worth $293,600, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of Alabama towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Alabama towns, more of a college town than 96% of Alabama towns.
How Huntsville ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Huntsville is worth $293,600, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $74,714, which is more affordable than 14% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $1,171 a month. 58.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Huntsville | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $293,600 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $1,171 | $834 |
| Median household income | $74,714 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.3% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Huntsville
| People | Huntsville | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.6% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 86.7% |
Weather in Huntsville
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 33.1°F. About 54.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 56 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
60 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Huntsville since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 24 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 58 deaths and 884 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 174 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 10, 2009.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3472: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4426: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 229,807 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,051 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Huntsville itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Huntsville
51 public schools with 25,488 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil Grissom High School | 9-12 | 1,885 | 18.7 |
| Huntsville High School | 9-12 | 1,802 | 18.0 |
| Monrovia Middle School | 6-8 | 988 | 19.8 |
| Providence Elementary | PK-5 | 951 | 19.0 |
| Columbia High School | 9-12 | 940 | 16.8 |
| Jemison High School | 9-12 | 867 | 18.4 |
| Lee High School | 9-12 | 861 | 17.9 |
| Riverton Intermediate School | 4-6 | 822 | 21.6 |
| Mt Carmel Elementary School | PK-3 | 646 | 15.4 |
| Central School | PK-8 | 637 | 16.8 |
| Blossomwood Elementary School | PK-6 | 584 | 15.4 |
| Monrovia Elementary School | PK-5 | 581 | 16.6 |
Towns near Huntsville
- Madison, AL4.9 mi · 56,933 people · home $398,800
- Triana, AL8.6 mi · 2,890 people · home $278,200
- Harvest, AL11.8 mi · 5,893 people · home $281,300
- Meridianville, AL13.4 mi · 8,209 people · home $291,900
- Moores Mill, AL13.9 mi · 6,729 people · home $274,000
- Owens Cross Roads, AL14.8 mi · 2,594 people · home $227,000
- Priceville, AL16.5 mi · 3,512 people · home $266,400
- Athens, AL16.5 mi · 25,406 people · home $270,000
Huntsville questions
Is Huntsville, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Huntsville scores better for retirees than 65% of Alabama towns and quieter than 4%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Huntsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Huntsville is valued at $293,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,714, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,171 a month.
What is the weather like in Huntsville?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 33.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.3 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Huntsville get tornadoes?
60 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Huntsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 3, 1974. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)