Best overall
Coffee County
Overall score 75.6
Economy 69.1 / Affordability 79.6
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Alabama
Compare counties in Alabama by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 67 Alabama counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Alabama
Put Alabama counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Alabama rankings
Open the full Alabama ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Alabama county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Coffee County
Family score 75.5
Schools 58.2 / Safety 91.5
Best value
Coffee County
Value score 82.6
Affordability 79.6 / Taxes 89.1
Most affordable
Walker County
Affordability 85.7
Typical home $131,100
Best schools
Madison County
Schools 63.5
Safety 84.7 / Economy 83.4
Safest
Covington County
Safety 98.3
Schools 22.2 / Peace 82
Low taxes
Autauga County
Taxes 93.2
Affordability 65.1 / Typical home $260,499
Peace & quiet
Perry County
Peace & Quiet 85.9
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Alabama
View full- 1Coffee County
Typical home $175,288
75.6
Overall
- 2Shelby County
Typical home $359,370
75.5
Overall
- 3Madison County
Typical home $311,719
72.9
Overall
- 4Autauga County
Typical home $260,499
69.5
Overall
- 5Baldwin County
Typical home $369,803
68.8
Overall
Best counties for families in Alabama
View full- 1Coffee County
Typical home $175,288
75.5
Family
- 2Shelby County
Typical home $359,370
73.1
Family
- 3Madison County
Typical home $311,719
69.7
Family
- 4Autauga County
Typical home $260,499
68.1
Family
- 5Marion County
Typical home $159,893
68.0
Family
Best value counties in Alabama
View full- 1Coffee County
Typical home $175,288
82.6
Value
- 2Chambers County
Typical home $141,428
81.0
Value
- 3Walker County
Typical home $131,100
80.7
Value
- 4Covington County
Typical home $156,569
80.1
Value
- 5Lamar County
Typical home $133,416
80.0
Value
Most affordable counties in Alabama
View full- 1Walker County
Typical home $131,100
85.7
Afford.
- 2Choctaw County
Typical home $128,421
81.8
Afford.
- 3Dallas County
Typical home $89,767
80.1
Afford.
- 4Coffee County
Typical home $175,288
79.6
Afford.
- 5Butler County
Typical home $113,980
79.3
Afford.
Best school counties in Alabama
View full- 1Madison County
Typical home $311,719
63.5
Schools
- 2Shelby County
Typical home $359,370
63.3
Schools
- 3Baldwin County
Typical home $369,803
58.9
Schools
- 4Coffee County
Typical home $175,288
58.2
Schools
- 5Lee County
Typical home $344,151
52.4
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Alabama
View full- 1Autauga County
Typical home $260,499
93.2
Taxes
- 2Marion County
Typical home $159,893
93.2
Taxes
- 3Cullman County
Typical home $255,134
93.2
Taxes
- 4St. Clair County
Typical home $271,171
93.2
Taxes
- 5Cleburne County
Typical home $230,137
93.2
Taxes
Quietest counties in Alabama
View full- 1Perry County
Typical home $128,590
85.9
Quiet
- 2Pike County
Typical home $164,687
84.4
Quiet
- 3Sumter County
Typical home $102,029
84.3
Quiet
- 4Dale County
Typical home $159,481
84.1
Quiet
- 5Dallas County
Typical home $89,767
84.1
Quiet
Safest counties in Alabama
View full- 1Covington County
Typical home $156,569
98.3
Safety
- 2Chambers County
Typical home $141,428
98.2
Safety
- 3Clay County
Typical home $181,444
94.8
Safety
- 4Lauderdale County
Typical home $223,857
94.4
Safety
- 5Bibb County
Typical home $214,089
93.6
Safety
Popular Alabama county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Alabama
The best county in Alabama depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Alabama
For best overall counties in Alabama, Coffee County, Shelby County, and Madison County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Alabama
For families, Coffee County, Shelby County, and Madison County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Alabama
For affordability-focused movers, Walker County, Choctaw County, and Dallas County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Alabama
For school-first households, Madison County, Shelby County, and Baldwin County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Alabama
For lower tax-pressure searches, Autauga County, Marion County, and Cullman County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Alabama
For quieter-living searches, Perry County, Pike County, and Sumter County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Alabama
Compare county scale carefully in Alabama; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Alabama
What is the best county to live in Alabama?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Coffee County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Alabama for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Coffee County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Alabama?
Walker County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Alabama counties score well for schools or taxes?
Madison County currently leads the school-score view, while Autauga County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Alabama counties
Showing all 67 Alabama counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coffee County FIPS 01031 | 75.6 | 69.1 | 79.6 | 58.2 | 91.5 | 89.1 | 83.8 | $175,288 | $68,353 |
| 2 | Shelby County FIPS 01117 | 75.5 | 85.3 | 62.5 | 63.3 | 92.4 | 86.6 | 67.8 | $359,370 | $97,961 |
| 3 | Madison County FIPS 01089 | 72.9 | 83.4 | 60.4 | 63.5 | 84.7 | 87.7 | 56.4 | $311,719 | $86,499 |
| 4 | Autauga County FIPS 01001 | 69.5 | 68.1 | 65.1 | 50.2 | 85.2 | 93.2 | 81.6 | $260,499 | $72,481 |
| 5 | Baldwin County FIPS 01003 | 68.8 | 81.9 | 42.1 | 58.9 | 88.5 | 92.4 | 70 | $369,803 | $78,775 |
| 6 | Lauderdale County FIPS 01077 | 67.5 | 64.4 | 63.5 | 41.9 | 94.4 | 90.6 | 78.1 | $223,857 | $62,649 |
| 7 | Marion County FIPS 01093 | 67.2 | 54 | 70.9 | 47 | 88.3 | 93.2 | 79.8 | $159,893 | $50,088 |
| 8 | Cullman County FIPS 01043 | 67 | 68.7 | 57.7 | 50.4 | 79.9 | 93.2 | 79.3 | $255,134 | $62,656 |
| 9 | Morgan County FIPS 01103 | 66.3 | 71 | 67.6 | 26.8 | 88.2 | 92.9 | 75.5 | $234,072 | $68,845 |
| 10 | St. Clair County FIPS 01115 | 66.2 | 78.9 | 67.6 | 25.2 | 76.5 | 93.2 | 75 | $271,171 | $77,463 |
| 11 | Cleburne County FIPS 01029 | 66.1 | 70.1 | 58.3 | 39.7 | 84.8 | 93.2 | 80.1 | $230,137 | $55,345 |
| 12 | Limestone County FIPS 01083 | 65.5 | 87.7 | 60.6 | 20.3 | 75.4 | 93.2 | 75.6 | $319,480 | $83,629 |
| 13 | Covington County FIPS 01039 | 64.6 | 54.7 | 73.4 | 22.2 | 98.3 | 93.2 | 82 | $156,569 | $52,456 |
| 14 | Colbert County FIPS 01033 | 64.4 | 57.4 | 69.1 | 34 | 84.6 | 90.9 | 83.8 | $197,333 | $60,628 |
| 15 | Elmore County FIPS 01051 | 64.2 | 79.8 | 64.8 | 19.2 | 73.6 | 93.2 | 76.9 | $269,858 | $78,243 |
| 16 | Marshall County FIPS 01095 | 64.2 | 67.4 | 61.5 | 29.1 | 87.4 | 92.6 | 76 | $241,702 | $62,571 |
| 17 | Walker County FIPS 01127 | 64.2 | 57.9 | 85.7 | 20.1 | 73.8 | 93.2 | 76.9 | $131,100 | $56,509 |
| 18 | Clay County FIPS 01027 | 62.1 | 58 | 69.6 | 12.7 | 94.8 | 93.2 | 82.3 | $181,444 | $55,250 |
| 19 | Chambers County FIPS 01017 | 62 | 57.9 | 76.3 | 2.8 | 98.2 | 89.9 | 84 | $141,428 | $49,656 |
| 20 | Houston County FIPS 01069 | 61.9 | 58.9 | 63.5 | 30.9 | 79.4 | 93.2 | 77.6 | $200,765 | $58,626 |
| 21 | Lawrence County FIPS 01079 | 61.9 | 65.4 | 71 | 17.3 | 72.8 | 93.2 | 82.5 | $223,086 | $66,071 |
| 22 | Dale County FIPS 01045 | 61.6 | 53.2 | 72 | 15.4 | 91.2 | 93.2 | 84.1 | $159,481 | $54,963 |
| 23 | Franklin County FIPS 01059 | 61.4 | 58 | 71.6 | 18.7 | 78.6 | 93.2 | 83.9 | $176,949 | $53,338 |
| 24 | Lamar County FIPS 01075 | 61.3 | 49.9 | 78.8 | 10.8 | 91 | 93.2 | 79.9 | $133,416 | $50,000 |
| 25 | Fayette County FIPS 01057 | 61.2 | 46.5 | 76.5 | 16.8 | 91.2 | 93.2 | 81.3 | $145,035 | $49,488 |
| 26 | Henry County FIPS 01067 | 60.9 | 60.9 | 70.5 | 5.9 | 90.6 | 93.2 | 79.9 | $190,852 | $59,931 |
| 27 | Pike County FIPS 01109 | 60.2 | 51.3 | 64.3 | 23.2 | 87.4 | 93.2 | 84.4 | $164,687 | $48,677 |
| 28 | Talladega County FIPS 01121 | 59.9 | 58.1 | 72.8 | 10.5 | 78.4 | 93.2 | 79.1 | $181,265 | $57,776 |
| 29 | Blount County FIPS 01009 | 59.8 | 71.3 | 68.4 | 21.9 | 48.8 | 93.2 | 76.5 | $230,362 | $64,190 |
| 30 | Mobile County FIPS 01097 | 59.8 | 56 | 67.7 | 19.5 | 89.5 | 83.3 | 64.4 | $194,293 | $58,880 |
| 31 | Geneva County FIPS 01061 | 59.7 | 57.4 | 74.6 | 12.9 | 70.9 | 93.2 | 83.3 | $162,101 | $52,771 |
| 32 | Etowah County FIPS 01055 | 59.4 | 54.2 | 68.3 | 19.6 | 81.4 | 89.9 | 73 | $180,673 | $54,563 |
| 33 | Winston County FIPS 01133 | 59.4 | 55.4 | 61.3 | 19.7 | 87.6 | 93.2 | 76.6 | $202,083 | $57,256 |
| 34 | Tuscaloosa County FIPS 01125 | 58.8 | 61.1 | 61.6 | 13.7 | 83.3 | 90.4 | 77.1 | $229,616 | $66,231 |
| 35 | Lee County FIPS 01081 | 58.7 | 65.8 | 34.8 | 52.4 | 73.9 | 85.5 | 69.3 | $344,151 | $65,824 |
| 36 | Washington County FIPS 01129 | 58.4 | 60.3 | 78.8 | 6.8 | 60.6 | 93.2 | 76.2 | $169,325 | $61,042 |
| 37 | Montgomery County FIPS 01101 | 58.3 | 54.5 | 71.6 | 2.9 | 93.5 | 86.7 | 70.8 | $164,623 | $59,386 |
| 38 | Crenshaw County FIPS 01041 | 57.5 | 56.6 | 74.7 | 13.4 | 58 | 93.2 | 79.2 | $138,753 | $48,560 |
| 39 | Chilton County FIPS 01021 | 57.3 | 70 | 70.4 | 12.5 | 42.1 | 93.2 | 81.1 | $217,253 | $65,603 |
| 40 | Bibb County FIPS 01007 | 57 | 52.5 | 61.2 | 5.8 | 93.6 | 93.2 | 80.2 | $214,089 | $52,541 |
| 41 | Jefferson County FIPS 01073 | 56.8 | 62.3 | 66 | 16.4 | 80.2 | 70.4 | 47.3 | $215,144 | $66,388 |
| 42 | Choctaw County FIPS 01023 | 55.3 | 39.9 | 81.8 | 2.5 | 75.6 | 93.2 | 75 | $128,421 | $47,813 |
| 43 | DeKalb County FIPS 01049 | 55.2 | 61.6 | 60 | 6.8 | 67.3 | 93.2 | 81.4 | $210,473 | $51,204 |
| 44 | Cherokee County FIPS 01019 | 55.1 | 60.6 | 54.2 | 19.8 | 63.8 | 91.8 | 73.2 | $225,416 | $53,863 |
| 45 | Randolph County FIPS 01111 | 55.1 | 53.1 | 58.1 | 4.2 | 88.4 | 93.2 | 77.3 | $205,008 | $52,338 |
| 46 | Tallapoosa County FIPS 01123 | 55.1 | 56 | 47.2 | 10.1 | 93.6 | 93.2 | 78.7 | $269,000 | $59,356 |
| 47 | Marengo County FIPS 01091 | 54.7 | 41.9 | 73.1 | 7.4 | 73 | 93.2 | 83.4 | $138,311 | $43,825 |
| 48 | Coosa County FIPS 01037 | 54 | 56.9 | 71.3 | 2.9 | 55 | 93.2 | 76.4 | $180,903 | $57,355 |
| 49 | Clarke County FIPS 01025 | 53.8 | 31.7 | 74.3 | 4.9 | 86.6 | 93.2 | 80.5 | $136,491 | $49,249 |
| 50 | Russell County FIPS 01113 | 53.8 | 51.5 | 57.4 | 6.6 | 80.1 | 91.4 | 81.2 | $196,108 | $51,197 |
| 51 | Butler County FIPS 01013 | 52.9 | 45.6 | 79.3 | 3.8 | 50.3 | 92.3 | 82.6 | $113,980 | $44,755 |
| 52 | Barbour County FIPS 01005 | 52.7 | 38.2 | 68.6 | 2.1 | 81.7 | 92.6 | 81.1 | $148,560 | $46,042 |
| 53 | Sumter County FIPS 01119 | 52.5 | 31.4 | 73.3 | 0.3 | 86.8 | 90.7 | 84.3 | $102,029 | $33,310 |
| 54 | Jackson County FIPS 01071 | 51.5 | 52.5 | 66.6 | 25 | 21.1 | 93.2 | 84 | $191,415 | $51,908 |
| 55 | Bullock County FIPS 01011 | 51.3 | 42.3 | 59.4 | 0.4 | 83 | 93.2 | 79.7 | $125,153 | $31,310 |
| 56 | Macon County FIPS 01087 | 50.8 | 39.2 | 68.8 | 0.7 | 71.4 | 88.1 | 82.2 | $128,356 | $43,707 |
| 57 | Hale County FIPS 01065 | 50 | 37.2 | 51.6 | 7.1 | 87.7 | 93.2 | 77.5 | $176,171 | $39,250 |
| 58 | Pickens County FIPS 01107 | 50 | 40.3 | 72.7 | 6.6 | 48.4 | 93.2 | 77.3 | $143,708 | $46,274 |
| 59 | Calhoun County FIPS 01015 | 49.2 | 55.1 | 69.9 | 27 | 0 | 88.8 | 74.1 | $171,219 | $55,029 |
| 60 | Monroe County FIPS 01099 | 49.1 | 30.7 | 69.2 | 3.1 | 67.6 | 93.2 | 80.4 | $137,223 | $42,292 |
| 61 | Dallas County FIPS 01047 | 47.2 | 21.8 | 80.1 | 1.3 | 57.6 | 86.6 | 84.1 | $89,767 | $35,627 |
| 62 | Escambia County FIPS 01053 | 46 | 44.7 | 71.7 | 19 | 0.1 | 89.7 | 81.5 | $142,992 | $48,225 |
| 63 | Conecuh County FIPS 01035 | 40.9 | 33.6 | 72.6 | 6 | 0 | 93.2 | 77 | $126,368 | $41,327 |
| 64 | Lowndes County FIPS 01085 | 39.4 | 34.7 | 66.8 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 93.2 | 83.9 | $143,774 | $37,052 |
| 65 | Perry County FIPS 01105 | 38.4 | 10.3 | 75.2 | 1 | 21.7 | 93.2 | 85.9 | $128,590 | $37,654 |
| 66 | Wilcox County FIPS 01131 | 38 | 16 | 66.4 | 0.5 | 27.1 | 93.2 | 78.9 | $140,996 | $40,640 |
| 67 | Greene County FIPS 01063 | 34.3 | 9.2 | 49.4 | 0.4 | 44.3 | 89 | 79.5 | $132,681 | $29,200 |