Best counties to raise a family in Alabama

- Population: 33,176
- Median home value: $130,900 (62% own)
- Median rent: $705 (38% own)
- Median household income: $40,106
- Top public schools: Goshen High School (grade B), Banks School (grade B), Pike County Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Pike Liberal Arts School (grade B), New Life Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Covenant Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Troy (grade B), Banks (grade B), Brundidge (grade B minus)

- Population: 22,412
- Median home value: $102,900 (79% own)
- Median rent: $744 (21% own)
- Median household income: $54,277
- Top public schools: West Blocton Elementary School (grade B minus), Bibb County High School (grade B minus), West Blocton Middle School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: Cahawba Christian Academy (grade C), McCully Hill Christian School (grade B), Porta Cras School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Woodstock (grade C+), Centreville (grade C+), Brent (grade C)

- Population: 56,789
- Median home value: $129,700 (72% own)
- Median rent: $761 (28% own)
- Median household income: $52,017
- Top public schools: Muscle Shoals Middle School (grade A), McBride Elementary School (grade A), Muscle Shoals High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Covenant Christian School (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Muscle Shoals (grade A minus), Tuscumbia (grade B+), Sheffield (grade B)

- Population: 15,574
- Median home value: $111,600 (91% own)
- Median rent: $672 (9% own)
- Median household income: $44,512
- Top public schools: Chatom Elementary School (grade B), Millry High School (grade B), Leroy High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Fruitdale (grade B), McIntosh (grade B), Chatom (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

- Population: 13,300
- Median home value: $85,800 (75% own)
- Median rent: $590 (25% own)
- Median household income: $43,103
- Top public schools: Highland Home High School (grade B), Brantley High School (grade B), Luverne High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Crenshaw Christian Academy (grade C)
- Top places to live: Luverne (grade B+), Brantley (grade B), Dozier (grade B minus)

- Population: 58,695
- Median home value: $130,400 (62% own)
- Median rent: $837 (38% own)
- Median household income: $44,065
- Top public schools: Sherwood Elementary School (grade A minus), Central High School (grade B), Oliver Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Phenix Christian School (grade unavailable), Columbus Girls Academy (grade unavailable), Teen University (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Phenix City (grade B), Ladonia (grade B minus), Hurtsboro (grade B minus)

- Population: 44,857
- Median home value: $117,300 (74% own)
- Median rent: $746 (26% own)
- Median household income: $56,243
- Top public schools: Jemison Elementary School (grade B), Clanton Intermediate School (grade B), Isabella High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Chilton Christian Academy (grade B)
- Top places to live: Thorsby (grade B), Clanton (grade B minus), Jemison (grade B minus)

- Population: 90,412
- Median home value: $170,900 (80% own)
- Median rent: $928 (20% own)
- Median household income: $65,070
- Top public schools: Coosa Valley Elementary School (grade A minus), Moody Elementary School (grade B+), Springville Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Victory Christian School (grade B), First Baptist Church Kindergarten & Daycare (grade unavailable), St Clair County Day Program Inc (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Argo (grade B+), Springville (grade B), Moody (grade B)

- Population: 103,468
- Median home value: $129,600 (73% own)
- Median rent: $717 (27% own)
- Median household income: $46,984
- Top public schools: Eura Brown Elementary School (grade A), John S. Jones Elementary School (grade A minus), Mitchell Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Westbrook Christian School (grade B+), Coosa Christian School (grade B minus), St. James Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Glencoe (grade B+), Rainbow City (grade B+), Southside (grade B+)

- Population: 17,165
- Median home value: $122,800 (84% own)
- Median rent: $639 (16% own)
- Median household income: $55,870
- Top public schools: Headland High School (grade B), Headland Elementary School (grade B), Headland Middle School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Abbeville Christian Academy (grade B)
- Top places to live: Headland (grade A minus), Newville (grade B minus), Abbeville (grade B minus)

- Population: 71,554
- Median home value: $115,100 (73% own)
- Median rent: $646 (27% own)
- Median household income: $44,037
- Top public schools: Plainview School (grade B+), Fyffe High School (grade B+), Fort Payne High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Cornerstone Christian Academy (grade B minus), Beth Haven Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Fort Payne (grade B), Sylvania (grade B+), Geraldine (grade B)

- Population: 122,608
- Median home value: $152,400 (72% own)
- Median rent: $714 (28% own)
- Median household income: $56,128
- Top public schools: Barkley Bridge Elementary School (grade A), Hartselle High School (grade A), Hartselle Junior High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Decatur Heritage Christian Academy (grade A minus), Cornerstone Christian School (grade A minus), Bethel Baptist School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Hartselle (grade A minus), Trinity (grade B+), Priceville (grade B+)

- Population: 87,129
- Median home value: $143,700 (75% own)
- Median rent: $779 (25% own)
- Median household income: $52,690
- Top public schools: Cullman Middle School (grade A), Cullman High School (grade A minus), East Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: St. Bernard Preparatory School (grade A+), Cullman Christian School (grade B+), Sacred Heart Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Cullman (grade A minus), Good Hope (grade B), Hanceville (grade C)

- Population: 672,550
- Median home value: $176,900 (64% own)
- Median rent: $986 (36% own)
- Median household income: $58,330
- Top public schools: Alabama School of Fine Arts (grade A+), Mt. Brook High School (grade A+), Homewood High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: The Altamont School (grade A+), Briarwood Christian School (grade A), John Carroll Catholic High School (grade A)
- Top places to live: Homewood (grade A+), Vestavia Hills (grade A+), Hoover (grade A+)

- Population: 53,043
- Median home value: $157,700 (69% own)
- Median rent: $856 (31% own)
- Median household income: $59,034
- Top public schools: Enterprise High School (grade A), Dauphin Junior High School (grade A minus), Coppinville School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Wiregrass Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Enterprise (grade A minus), New Brockton (grade B), Elba (grade B minus)

- Population: 49,443
- Median home value: $112,900 (60% own)
- Median rent: $772 (40% own)
- Median household income: $50,052
- Top public schools: George W. Long High School (grade A minus), Newton Elementary School (grade A minus), Ariton School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Harvest Christian School (grade A), Fort Rucker Child Development Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Newton (grade B), Midland City (grade B), Daleville (grade B)

- Population: 37,490
- Median home value: $111,900 (75% own)
- Median rent: $649 (25% own)
- Median household income: $46,186
- Top public schools: Andalusia Middle School (grade A minus), South Highlands Elementary School (grade A minus), Straughn Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Andalusia (grade B+), Opp (grade B minus), Carolina (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

- Population: 97,179
- Median home value: $147,600 (75% own)
- Median rent: $683 (25% own)
- Median household income: $52,938
- Top public schools: Arab Junior High School (grade A minus), Arab Elementary School (grade A minus), Brindlee Mountain Primary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Marshall Christian Academy (grade C+)
- Top places to live: Guntersville (grade B+), Albertville (grade B+), Arab (grade B)

- Population: 414,620
- Median home value: $144,100 (64% own)
- Median rent: $916 (36% own)
- Median household income: $51,169
- Top public schools: Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (grade A+), Saraland Middle/Nelson Adams (grade A), Saraland Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: St. Paul's Episcopal School (grade A+), UMS-Wright Preparatory School (grade A+), McGill-Toolen Catholic High School (grade A minus)
- Top places to live: Satsuma (grade B+), Saraland (grade B+), Mobile (grade B)

- Population: 58,239
- Median home value: $164,900 (74% own)
- Median rent: $1,085 (26% own)
- Median household income: $62,660
- Top public schools: Daniel Pratt Elementary School (grade A minus), Prattville Junior High School (grade A minus), Pine Level Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Autauga Academy (grade C+), Camellia Baptist Weekday Education Ministry (WEM) (grade unavailable), First Baptist Kindergarten (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Prattville (grade A minus), Pine Level (grade B+), Marbury (grade B)

- Population: 106,355
- Median home value: $146,300 (66% own)
- Median rent: $799 (34% own)
- Median household income: $50,222
- Top public schools: Rehobeth Elementary School (grade A minus), Carver Magnet School for Math, Science & Tech (grade A minus), Heard Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Providence Christian School (grade A+), Houston Academy (grade A), Northside Methodist Academy (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: Taylor (grade B+), Dothan (grade B+), Kinsey (grade B)

- Population: 116,425
- Median home value: $123,200 (71% own)
- Median rent: $752 (29% own)
- Median household income: $50,977
- Top public schools: Oxford Elementary School (grade A), Coldwater Elementary School (grade A), Kitty Stone Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Donoho School (grade A), Faith Christian School (grade A minus), Jacksonville Christian Academy (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: Jacksonville (grade A minus), Oxford (grade A minus), Alexandria (grade A minus)

- Population: 223,945
- Median home value: $183,800 (63% own)
- Median rent: $908 (37% own)
- Median household income: $57,508
- Top public schools: Tuscaloosa Magnet School - Middle School (grade A), Tuscaloosa Magnet School - Elementary School (grade A minus), Northridge High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Tuscaloosa Academy (grade A), Holy Spirit Catholic School (grade A minus), American Christian Academy (grade B)
- Top places to live: Northport (grade A minus), Lake View (grade B+), Tuscaloosa (grade B+)

- Population: 227,131
- Median home value: $226,600 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,093 (23% own)
- Median household income: $64,346
- Top public schools: Fairhope High School (grade A), Fairhope Primary School (grade A), Daphne Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Bayside Academy (grade A), Bayshore Christian School (grade A minus), Snook Christian Academy (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Fairhope (grade A), Spanish Fort (grade A), Daphne (grade A)

- Population: 93,342
- Median home value: $154,800 (67% own)
- Median rent: $701 (33% own)
- Median household income: $50,000
- Top public schools: Kilby Laboratory School (grade A), Forest Hills School (grade A), Florence High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Shoals Christian School (grade A), Mars Hill Bible School (grade B+), St. Joseph Regional Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Florence (grade A minus), Killen (grade B), Rogersville (grade B)

- Population: 87,146
- Median home value: $174,800 (76% own)
- Median rent: $928 (24% own)
- Median household income: $67,597
- Top public schools: Eclectic Elementary School (grade A minus), Holtville Elementary School (grade A minus), Holtville Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Prattville Christian Academy (grade B+), Edgewood Academy (grade B), Victory Christian Academy (grade B)
- Top places to live: Blue Ridge (grade A), Millbrook (grade A minus), Deatsville (grade A minus)

- Population: 101,217
- Median home value: $185,300 (78% own)
- Median rent: $754 (22% own)
- Median household income: $70,736
- Top public schools: James Clemens High School (grade A+), Athens High School (grade A), SPARK Academy at Cowart (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Athens Bible School (grade B minus), Lindsay Lane Christian Academy (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: Athens (grade A minus), Elkmont (grade B), Ardmore (grade C+)

- Population: 172,223
- Median home value: $186,600 (64% own)
- Median rent: $894 (36% own)
- Median household income: $57,191
- Top public schools: Dean Road Elementary School (grade A+), Cary Woods Elementary School (grade A+), Richland Elementary School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Lee-Scott Academy (grade A), Glenwood School (grade B+), The Chanticleer Learning Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Auburn (grade A+), Opelika (grade A), Smiths Station (grade B)

- Population: 220,780
- Median home value: $235,500 (81% own)
- Median rent: $1,142 (19% own)
- Median household income: $82,592
- Top public schools: Spain Park High School (grade A+), Robert F. Bumpus Middle School (grade A+), Berry Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Indian Springs School (grade A+), The Westminster School at Oak Mountain (grade A), Evangel Classical Christian School (grade A minus)
- Top places to live: Meadowbrook (grade A+), Indian Springs Village (grade A+), Helena (grade A+)

- Population: 382,149
- Median home value: $202,500 (67% own)
- Median rent: $936 (33% own)
- Median household income: $71,153
- Top public schools: Mill Creek Elementary School (grade A+), Bob Jones High School (grade A+), Horizon Elementary School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Randolph School (grade A+), St. John Paul II Catholic High School (grade A+), Westminster Christian Academy (grade A)
- Top places to live: Madison (grade A+), Harvest (grade A), Huntsville (grade A)