CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

33.89° N · 86.02° W · GEOID 0171832

Southside

Calhoun County, Alabama · part of the Anniston, AL metro

AlabamaSouthside, ALSouthsideSouthside

The short answer

Southside is home to 9,483 people. Median household income is $76,487 a year and median rent is $1,184 a month, 18.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $226,500, about 3.0x annual median household income.

The story in Southside is how fast things are changing. Housing became less affordable between 2019 and 2024: rent went from 15.6% to 18.6% of income. Also notable: 2% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 101 Alabama places we track.

70OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Southside scores better than 70% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 28th of 120 in Alabama.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%71
Economy 20%68
Safety 20%93
Amenities 15%18
Education 10%29
Commute 10%43
Growth 5%24
Median gross rent
$1,184
13% below the median place
Median household income
$76,487
5% below the median place
Median home value
$226,500
29% below the median place
Unemployment
2.9%
40% below 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 Southside

  • Value for moneyRent is about 23% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture. Experimental
  • Housing93% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 93% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 120 Alabama places we track.
01

Moving to Southside

Calhoun County gains about 2.7 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in4,463
Moved out4,237
Net+226

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Cleburne County, AL218182+36
Cherokee County, AL11277+35

Within Alabama, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within AlabamaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$46K
Leavers$47K

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

Who moves here
5.8% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Calhoun County report $46,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $47,100.
Income you would need
$47,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,184 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,430 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $226,500.
Getting to work
26 minutes each way on average; 2.2% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Reidland, KY matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
5.8%
1% above the median place
Income of households moving in8
$45,971
35% below the median place
Income of households moving out8
$47,125
33% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSouthsideAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.8%1% above
Moved from another state1County figure1.9%6% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure2.7above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$45,97135% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$47,12533% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeowners pay a median of about 0.4% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 94% of the 2,266 places under 10,000 people we track.

Southside18.6%
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
$47,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
18.6%
9% below the median place
Home price to income
3.0x
22% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$66,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Southside, $1,184 a month, and local prices for everything else (92.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Southside, but easier on the budget

Places that match Southside 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
Reidland, KY9112.7% vs 18.6%$25,200Compare
Satsuma, AL8915.4% vs 18.6%$23,600Compare
Hartselle, AL8912.6% vs 18.6%$4,100Compare
Unionville, NC8812.2% vs 18.6%$19,200Compare

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Southside? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
92.6%
39% above the median place
Property tax rate1
0.4%
55% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$934
71% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSouthsideAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,18413% below
Rent to income118.6%9% below
Property tax rate10.4%55% below
Home price to income13.0x22% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure86.015% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,01037% below
HUD area median income4County figure$72,30033% below
Property tax paid (median)1$93471% below
Median home value1$226,50029% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure4.4%37% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure50.0%3% below
Homeownership192.6%39% above
Renters paying 30%+151.5%2% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,43024% below
Vacant homes16.2%12% below
Median year built119860% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
2.2%
82% below the median place
Poverty rate1
4.4%
59% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Unemployment2.9% −40%
Income per person$33,693 −16%
Mean commute26 min +5%
Median household income$76,487 −5%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSouthsideAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$76,4875% below
Income per person1$33,69316% below
Unemployment12.9%40% below
Average annual pay6County figure$52,42821% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.1%43% below
Jobs6County figure43,47371% below
Poverty rate14.4%59% below
Mean commute126 min5% above
Works from home12.2%82% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Homes with broadband is 95.7%, 4% above the median place.

Homes with broadband1
95.7%
4% above the median place
Household size1
2.8
14% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
23.2%
28% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age41.8 +7%
High school or higher94.0% +2%
No health insurance6.5% +2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSouthsideAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population19,4834314th largest
Population change since 202072.9%154% above
Median age141.87% above
Bachelor's or higher123.2%28% below
High school or higher194.0%2% above
Household size12.814% above
Born abroad1County figure2.9%67% below
No health insurance16.5%2% above
Homes with broadband195.7%4% above
05

Life in Southside

The nearest National Park Service site is Freedom Riders National Monument, about 20 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1850. 64 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents2.1 −79%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k3.2 −72%
Libraries per 10k2.1 2.4×
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
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

  • Freedom Riders National Monument 20 miles
  • Little River Canyon National Preserve 45 miles
  • Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument 53 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.0 −9%
Shops38.5 +27%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.0 −51%
Doctors' offices and clinics18.8 −7%
Child care centers1.3 −43%

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

Public schools14
2
78% below the median place
Public school students14
1,410
71% below the median place
Students per teacher14
18.3
19% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSouthsideAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14278% below
Public school students141,41071% below
Students per teacher1418.319% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure19.09% below
Shops per 10k9County figure38.527% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure2.051% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure18.87% below
Child care centers per 10k9County figure1.343% below
Parks per 10k102.179% below
Playgrounds per 10k100.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k103.272% below
Libraries per 10k102.1143% above
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1119.636% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11350% above
National Register listings12County figure64392% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 31, 84% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
31
84% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
362
70% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Annual precipitation15
54.2 in
24% above the median place
Tornado risk16
98.2
21% above the median place
Average temperature15
62°F
13% above the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureSouthsideAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure90°F4% above
January average low15County figure33°F29% above
Average temperature15County figure62°F13% above
Annual precipitation15County figure54.2 in24% above
Natural hazard risk16County figure88.54% below
Hurricane risk16County figure74.05% above
Tornado risk16County figure98.221% above
Wildfire risk16County figure81.533% above
Heat wave risk16County figure78.413% below
08

Southside in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, up from 19% 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, Southside does better than 68% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 45%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,184/mo (2024)$1,520/mo$1,240 to $1,850/mo+4.2%
Median household income$76,487 (2024)$95,000$80,500 to $112,500+3.7%
Median home value$226,500 (2024)$324,000$235,000 to $446,000+6.1%
Population9,718 (2025)9,9009,500 to 10,330+0.4%

The median home would be worth 3.4 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.0 now.

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

09

Places like Southside

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

PlaceRentIncome
Jefferson, WI$1,071$79,006Compare
Sanford, ME$1,152$72,524Compare
Torrington, CT$1,169$70,856Compare
Hollins, VA$1,193$77,456Compare
Hollins, VATorrington, CTSanford, MEJefferson, WISouthside, ALSouthsideJeffersonSanfordHollinsSouthsideJeffersonSanfordHollins

Places built like Southside

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 Southside performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Southside, AL18.6%1.0%/yr2.9%
Clay, AL32.8%1.9%/yr-0.9%Compare
Pleasant Grove, AL23.9%-0.1%/yr-2.1%Compare
Smiths Station, AL18.8%4.8%/yr2.7%Compare
Reidland, KY12.7%9.0%/yrn/aCompare
Satsuma, AL15.4%9.4%/yr1.3%Compare
Glencoe, AL12.9%2.6%/yr0.9%Compare

Common questions

Is Southside a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 70 out of 100, better than 70% of the places we rate and 28th of 120 in Alabama. Rent is about 23% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture. 93% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 93% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 120 Alabama places we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 90 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Southside expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 18.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $226,500.

What salary do you need to live in Southside?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $47,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Southside safe?

There were 31 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Southside?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Jefferson, WI, Sanford, ME, Torrington, CT and Hollins, VA.

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. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 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
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

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 Southside with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Southside itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/southside-alabama

Citytistics. “Southside, Alabama.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/southside-alabama/

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