CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

33.64° N · 86.68° W · GEOID 0113264

Center Point

Jefferson County, Alabama · part of the Birmingham, AL metro

AlabamaCenter Point, ALCenter PointCenter Point

The short answer

Center Point is home to 15,914 people. Median household income is $56,417 a year and median rent is $1,218 a month, 25.9% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $151,700, about 2.7x annual median household income.

Center Point stands out for what is close at hand. OpenStreetMap shows 0.6 parks per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 97% of places its size. Also notable: Owning with a mortgage costs only about $36 a month more than the median rent, a smaller gap than in 94% of places its size.

5OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Center Point scores better than 5% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 116th of 120 in Alabama.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%50
Economy 20%15
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%32
Education 10%14
Commute 10%19
Growth 5%19

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,218
11% below the median place
Median household income
$56,417
30% below the median place
Median home value
$151,700
53% below the median place
Unemployment
8.1%
65% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Center Point

  • GrowthThe population has fallen 5% since 2020, a steeper drop than in 96% of the 1,591 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Center Point

Jefferson County loses about 5.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in21,791
Moved out24,602
Net−2,811

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Alabama, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within AlabamaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$67K
Leavers$73K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Jefferson County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
4.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.9% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Jefferson County report $66,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $72,800, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$48,700 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,218 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,254 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $151,700.
Getting to work
31 minutes each way on average; 8.2% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
El Dorado, AR matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-5.8
below the median place (median -0.6)
Moved here in the past year1
4.7%
18% below the median place
Income of households moving in8
$66,674
6% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureCenter PointAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure4.7%18% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.9%2% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-5.8below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$66,6746% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$72,7514% above
02

What it costs to live here

After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $43,700 a year, less than in 89% of the 1,884 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Center Point25.9%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$48,720
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
25.9%
27% above the median place
Home price to income
2.7x
29% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
26%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$43,200
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Center Point, $1,218 a month, and local prices for everything else (95.7 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Center Point, but easier on the budget

Places that match Center Point on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
El Dorado, AR9821.4% vs 25.9%n/aCompare
Andalusia, AL9720.6% vs 25.9%n/aCompare
Eufaula, AL9717.7% vs 25.9%n/aCompare
Toccoa, GA9617.6% vs 25.9%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Center Point.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Center Point? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax paid (median)1
$873
73% below the median place
Median home value1
$151,700
53% below the median place
Vacant homes1
14.9%
111% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureCenter PointAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,21811% below
Rent to income125.9%27% above
Property tax rate10.6%36% below
Home price to income12.7x29% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure91.69% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,37515% below
HUD area median income4County figure$104,1003% below
Property tax paid (median)1$87373% below
Median home value1$151,70053% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.2%31% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure38.3%26% below
Homeownership161.1%8% below
Renters paying 30%+159.1%17% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,25433% below
Vacant homes114.9%111% above
Median year built119730% below
03

Work and pay

Compared with the 21 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Laurel, MS, Eufaula, AL and Fort Payne, AL), unemployment here is higher: 8.1% against a typical 5.6%.

Unemployment1
8.1%
65% above the median place
Median household income1
$56,417
30% below the median place
Mean commute1
31 min
24% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$29,806 −26%
Works from home8.2% −34%
Poverty rate14.3% +33%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureCenter PointAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$56,41730% below
Income per person1$29,80626% below
Unemployment18.1%65% above
Average annual pay6County figure$75,00814% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.8%30% above
Jobs6County figure368,875145% above
Poverty rate114.3%33% above
Mean commute131 min24% above
Works from home18.2%34% below
Commutes by transit1County figure0.6%33% below
04

Who lives here

Population change since 2020 is -5.0%, below the median place (median 1.1%).

Population change since 20207
-5.0%
below the median place (median 1.1%)
Bachelor's or higher1
17.0%
47% below the median place
No health insurance1
12.0%
87% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad4.2% −53%
Median age37.1 −5%
Household size2.6 +6%
High school or higher90.6% −2%
Homes with broadband93.4% +1%
All 9 people measures
MeasureCenter PointAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population115,9142862nd largest
Population change since 20207-5.0%below (median 1.1%)
Median age137.15% below
Bachelor's or higher117.0%47% below
High school or higher190.6%2% below
Household size12.66% above
Born abroad14.2%53% below
No health insurance112.0%87% above
Homes with broadband193.4%1% above
05

Life in Center Point

The nearest National Park Service site is Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, about 12 miles away.

188 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.6 −94%
Playgrounds per 10k2.5 −73%
Grocery stores per 10k2.5 +18%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k3.8 −66%
Libraries per 10k1.3 +45%
Named paths and bike trails1 km −45%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument 12 miles
  • Freedom Riders National Monument 45 miles
  • Horseshoe Bend National Military Park 72 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.7 +4%
Shops37.3 +23%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.7 −10%
Doctors' offices and clinics21.7 +7%
Child care centers2.3 +0%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools13
3
67% below the median place
Public school students13
1,780
64% below the median place
Nearest National Park Service site11
11.6
62% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureCenter PointAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13367% below
Public school students131,78064% below
Students per teacher1317.312% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure21.74% above
Shops per 10k9County figure37.323% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.710% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure21.77% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.30% above
Parks per 10k100.694% below
Playgrounds per 10k102.573% below
Grocery stores per 10k102.518% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k103.866% below
Libraries per 10k101.345% above
Named paths and bike trails101.145% below
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1111.662% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12County figure188above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Tornado risk is 99.5, 22% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Center Point. Larger places are fetched first.

Tornado risk15
99.5
22% above the median place
Annual precipitation14
56.4 in
29% above the median place
Good air days16
43.6%
36% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureCenter PointAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure91°F5% above
January average low14County figure33°F31% above
Average temperature14County figure63°F14% above
Annual precipitation14County figure56.4 in29% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure97.66% above
Hurricane risk15County figure76.68% above
Tornado risk15County figure99.522% above
Wildfire risk15County figure79.129% above
Heat wave risk15County figure97.68% above
Median air quality index16County figure5221% above
Good air days16County figure43.6%36% below
08

Center Point in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 26% of the median income in 2030, up from 26% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Center Point does better than 49% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 57%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,218/mo (2024)$1,580/mo$1,300 to $1,930/mo+4.4%
Median household income$56,417 (2024)$71,500$60,500 to $84,500+4.1%
Median home value$151,700 (2024)$219,000$159,000 to $301,000+6.3%
Population15,538 (2025)15,27014,650 to 15,920−0.3%

The median home would be worth 3.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Center Point

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
St. Martin, MS$1,231$55,000Compare
Kirby, TX$1,182$55,532Compare
Hammond, IN$1,134$55,504Compare
Midfield, AL$1,244$52,755Compare
Midfield, ALHammond, INKirby, TXSt. Martin, MSCenter Point, ALCenter PointSt. MartinKirbyHammondMidfieldCenter PointSt. MartinKirbyHammondMidfield

Places built like Center Point

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Center Point performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Center Point, AL25.9%5.3%/yr-5.0%
Laurel, MS22.9%8.3%/yr-0.9%Compare
Eufaula, AL17.7%7.4%/yr-3.5%Compare
Fort Payne, AL17.2%3.3%/yr2.3%Compare
Lewisburg, TN21.6%2.7%/yr10.0%Compare
Andalusia, AL20.6%2.5%/yr-0.8%Compare
Millington, TN26.7%-1.0%/yr22.4%Compare

Common questions

Is Center Point a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 5 out of 100, better than 5% of the places we rate and 116th of 120 in Alabama. The population has fallen 5% since 2020, a steeper drop than in 96% of the 1,591 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 38 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Center Point expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 25.9% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $151,700.

What salary do you need to live in Center Point?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $48,720 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Center Point?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are St. Martin, MS, Kirby, TX, Hammond, IN and Midfield, AL.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Center Point with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Center Point itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/center-point-alabama

Citytistics. “Center Point, Alabama.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/center-point-alabama/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.