Relocation profile · Federal data

Anniston-Oxford, AL

BEA RPP 85.9 ranks #22 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

85.9
Cost index (US=100)
$962
2BR rent / mo
$53,291
Median salary
58.6
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Anniston-Oxford ranks #77 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (58.6/100), with its strongest marks in housing and cost of living.

#77
of 387 US metros · Above median
5,157,699
metro-area population
376
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
1,369
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: job market (3/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Anniston-Oxford ranks #77 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 85.9 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $962/mo, median salary $53,291; LiveAbility Score 58.6/100, strongest in housing and cost of living.

Signature: BEA RPP 85.9 ranks #22 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 85.9 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $962/mo.

LiveAbility 58.6/100 puts Anniston-Oxford in the top third (#77 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Anniston-Oxford area is 37,350.

Anniston-Oxford vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

59 Top 20% higher than 80% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Anniston-Oxford housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Anniston-Oxford MSA; housing RPP 54.7 (100 = national average); 2BR $962/mo.

Studio
$753
/month
1 Bedroom
$757
/month
2 Bedroom
$962
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,300
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,361
/month

Anniston-Oxford wages and employment

Anniston-Oxford posts 37,350 total employment with median salary $53,291 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$53,291
Mean Salary
$56,911
Total Employment
37,350

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Retail Salespersons $29,400
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,070
Cashiers $27,130
Fast Food and Counter Workers $22,650
Stockers and Order Fillers $29,810

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Anniston-Oxford area from NCES.

Schools
1,369
Enrollment
746,604
Student:Teacher
17.7:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Anniston-Oxford area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$6,896
per year
Toddler (Center)
$6,716
per year
Preschool (Center)
$6,348
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Anniston-Oxford's composite Life Score is 56.4/100 (C-), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
95/100
Elite
Wages
3/100
Bottom decile
Rent
96/100
Elite
Crime
42/100
Below average
Schools
68/100
Strong
Childcare
93/100
Elite
Environment
0/100
Bottom decile

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Anniston-Oxford ranks #77 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 58.6/100 - a composite of 7 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized). Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Housing (96/100)

Anniston-Oxford - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Anniston-Oxford's strongest dimensions are housing and cost of living; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 3/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%; this metro uses 7 of 8 dims with renormalized weights.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Metros near Anniston-Oxford on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Anniston-Oxford on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Anniston-Oxford cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Anniston-Oxford wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Anniston-Oxford?

Anniston-Oxford runs a $53,291 median salary at a 85.9 cost index, ranking #77 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Anniston-Oxford's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Anniston-Oxford head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Anniston-Oxford
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.