City Comparison
Bessemer vs Vestavia Hills
Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.
Alabama, USA
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VS
Vestavia Hills scores higher overall
Performance
Score Breakdown
Bessemer
Vestavia Hills
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
| Metric | Bessemer | Vestavia Hills | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $0 | $1,975 | -100% |
| Groceries | $0 | $425 | -100% |
| Utilities | $0 | $180 | -100% |
| Transport | $0 | $150 | -100% |
| Healthcare | $0 | $120 | -100% |
| Monthly Total | $0 | $2,850 | -100% |
| Cost Index | 124 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Vestavia Hills offers 100% lower average salaries.
| Metric | Bessemer | Vestavia Hills |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $0 | $68,012 |
| Salary Needed | $0 | $62,960 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Bessemer | Vestavia Hills |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | % | 68.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Bessemer has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly
9,500 minutes (158 hours) per year compared to Vestavia Hills.
Vestavia Hills scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, Vestavia Hills leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Bessemer | Vestavia Hills |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | min | 19 min |
| Transit Score | — | 20.0/100 |
| Walkability | — | 22.0/100 |
| Traffic Index | 45.00 | |
| Car Dependency | High |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Vestavia Hills is the larger city
.
From a growth perspective, Vestavia Hills is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Bessemer has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Bessemer | Vestavia Hills |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 0 | 38,616 |
| Pop. Growth | — | 2.48% |
| Median Age | 41.7 | |
| Unemployment | % | 2.60% |
| GDP | — | — |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Bessemer
Vestavia Hills
Advantages
Vestavia Hills boasts a top-rated public school system, consistently ranked among the best in Alabama.
The city offers a high quality of life with abundant recreational parks, green spaces, and community events.
Vestavia Hills is considered a very safe community with a high safety score and low violent crime rates.
Residents benefit from a relatively short average commute time of 19.3 minutes.
The median household income of $134,369 in 2024 is significantly higher than the national average.
Drawbacks
The cost of living in Vestavia Hills is 24% higher than the national average, primarily due to high housing costs.
Housing costs, including both renting and buying, are approximately 90% higher than the national average.
The city is largely car-dependent with low walkability (score of 22) and minimal public transit options.
Employment in Vestavia Hills experienced a decline of -1.89% from 2023 to 2024.
Natural gas prices in Vestavia Hills averaged $23.38 per thousand cubic feet in November 2024, which was approximately 56.6% more than the U.S. average.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Bessemer
Alabama, USA
0.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$0
Avg Salary
$0
Cost Index
Commute
min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
%
Unemployment
%
Livability
0
Business
0
Vestavia Hills
#78Alabama, USA
69.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,975
Avg Salary
$68,012
Cost Index
124
Commute
19 min
Transit Score
20.0/100
Walkability
22.0/100
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
2.48%
Unemployment
2.60%
Livability
88
Business
75
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