Alabama Policy Institute Study

API INFORMED
A White Paper from the Alabama Policy Institute
Building Business in Alabama: How Business-Friendly Are Alabamas 50 Largest Cities?

John Hill, Ph.D. Senior Policy Analyst Alabama Policy Institute
March 2013
Alabama Policy Institute 402 Office Park Drive, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35223 205.870.9900 | www.alabamapolicy.org
The Alabama Policy Institute (API) is an independent, nonprofit research and education organization that is issue-centered and solution-oriented. We provide in-depth research and analysis of Alabamas public policy issues to impact policy decisions and deepen Alabama citizens understanding of, and appreciation for, sound economic, social, and governing principles. Since 1989, API has been on the front lines of critical public debates, helping Alabama citizens, lawmakers, and business leaders better understand and apply principles that maximize individual freedom, limit government interference, and encourage personal responsibility. API is the largest free-market, solutionbased policy research center in Alabama.
For additional copies, please contact: Alabama Policy Institute 402 Office Park Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35223 205.870.9900 info@alabamapolicy.org www.alabamapolicy.org
Alabama Policy Institute
How Business-Friendly Are Alabamas 50 Largest Cities?
Building Business in Alabama:
By John Hill, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst (Alabama Policy Institute)
Printed March 2013 by The Alabama Policy Institute Birmingham, Alabama Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the Alabama Policy Institute is properly cited.
www.alabamapolicy.org
iv
Table of Contents
Introduction Alabamas Most Business-Friendly Cities Alabamas Least Business-Friendly Cities Economic Vitality Business Tax Burden Community Allure Transportation Infrastructure Conclusion The Business-Friendly Formula Appendix A: Overall Business-Friendly Ranking Appendix B: Economic Vitality Ranking Appendix C: Business Tax Burden Ranking Appendix D: Community Allure Ranking Appendix E: Transportation Infrastructure Ranking 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 7 9 11 13 15
Introduction
In order to excel in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, Alabama must be as attractive as possible to businesses looking to establish or grow operations in the state. While Alabamas business-friendly image is usually assessed at the state level, Alabama must also consider how its individual cities compare against each other with respect to economic, social, and educational factors attractive to businesses. The Alabama Policy Institute (API) has collected data on Alabamas 50 most populous cities and ranked them based on criteria that both ensure business success and protect the entrepreneurial spirit.1 The four categories in which data are ranked are Economic Vitality, Business Tax Burden, Community Allure, and Transportation Infrastructure. This report looks at a number of factors: What cities have the best tax policy? Which have low costs of living and crime rates? What cities have experienced the most year-over-year population and job growth? What type of economic vitality do cities have, including the average incomes for local residents? API answers these questions in this report.
possible points, edging out Millbrook (70.95) and Athens (70.55). Millbrook, located in Elmore County, finished second because of its superior rankings in Business Tax Burden (5th) and Transportation Infrastructure (6th), and aboveaverage rankings in both Economic Vitality (12th) and Community Allure (12th). Athens finished in a close third place (70.55). It placed 3rd in Economic Vitality for its recent growth in both population and jobs, and 9th in Business Tax Burden for its competitive millage and local business sales tax rates. The citys Community Allure ranking (15th) was impressive, but dampened as a result of an above-average cost of living and a lower-than-average high school graduation rate. Athens ranking in Transportation (35th) was also disappointing because of its distance to a variety of transport hubs.
Alabamas Least Business-Friendly Cities

With every best there is a worst, and the dubious honor of being Alabamas least Business-Friendly City belongs to Selma, with a total score of 27.32. Simply put, Selma possesses unfavorable rankings in all four business-friendly categories. Its next-to-last-place showing in Economic Vitality is the result of a shrinking job pool and one of the lowest per capita incomes in Alabama. Selmas Business Tax Burden rankings are also below average, as is its Transportation score (both 41st place). A final reason for Selmas low ranking is its Community Allure score of only 28.41 out of 100 possible points (49th). With a violent crime rate five-and-a-half times higher than the state average, Selma has the worst crime rate in Alabama. Educational outcomes are also depressed, with significantly smaller proportions of students scoring well on standardized tests. The citys workforce is also less prepared than much of the rest of the state, with significantly fewer adults age 25 or older possessing a high school diploma or better.
Alabamas Most Business-Friendly Cities

So what city takes the prize? After careful analysis, the results are in: Fairhope is Alabamas Most BusinessFriendly City. Located in Baldwin County, this city finished first in Economic Vitality, eighth in the Business Tax Burden category, 27th in Community Allure and fifth in the less-weighted category of Transportation Infrastructure, for a composite score of 73.85 out of 100
1 In developing those rankings, the Alabama Policy Institute (API) looked to the Beacon Center of Tennessees annual report, How Business-Friendly are Tennessees Cities? See Justin Owen & Ryan Turbeville, Beacon Center of Tennessee, No. 11-05, How Business-Friendly Are Tennessees Cities? (Nov. 14, 2011), available at www.beacontn.org/ wp-content/uploads/How-Business-Friendly-are-TennesseesCities-in-2011.pdf.
To its credit, the cost of living in Selma is substantially below the state average, but this was not enough to keep the city from being the worst for business in Alabama. Following Selma as the worst cities for business in Alabama are Prichard (32.28) and Anniston (34.71). Both cities scored near the bottom on Economic Vitality (47th and 45th, respectively), and both also ranked poorly on their Total Business Tax Burden scores (47th and 38th). The Community Allure of both cities was also disappointing (48th and 50th) due to their above-average crime rates and low SAT 10 reading and math scores.
Business Tax Burden

The Business Tax Burden category employs two key tax components for each city: property tax rates and general sales tax. Property tax rates are expressed in millage (mills), which are equal to one-tenth of one cent. The average property tax rate in Alabama is 50.8 mills, with municipal rates ranging from 30 mills in Millbrook to 99 mills in Mountain Brook.3 General sales taxes in Alabama range from 0.5% to 5%, with 4% being the most common rate. The five best-ranking cities in Alabama in terms of their Business Tax Burden are Foley (91.04), Cullman (86.59), Northport (84.87), Jasper (82.75), and Millbrook (79.65). Each of these cities has a millage rate of 40 or less, plus a general sales tax of 3.5% or less. On the other hand, Mobile (14.37), Birmingham (14.96), Bessemer (15.64), Prichard (17.18), and Mountain Brook (20.76) are the five worst cities in Alabama when it comes to the tax burdens placed on their businesses. Each of these cities has a property tax rate of at least 60 mills and a sales tax of at least 3%.
Economic Vitality
The economic vitality of a city is important to businesses because factors such as job growth, population growth, and median per capita income reflect its ability to survive during an economic downturn. Population growth indicates that an area has a solid consumer base that can attract and support commerce.2 Job creation or lack thereof has a clear impact on a citys business climate, and income levels reveal a citys ability to invest in its own business marketplace. The five best-performing cities in the category of Economic Vitality are Fairhope (83.82 out of possible 100 points), Trussville (75.93), Athens (72.80), Vestavia Hills (72.38), and Opelika (70.10). Within each subcategory, Center Point had the most recent job growth (1.85%), Athens had the largest short-term, residential population growth from 2010 to 2011 (3.16%), Foley had the most long-term growth from 2000 to 2010 (9.26% per year), and Mountain Brook had the highest per capita income ($77,063). Eufaula was the poorest-scoring city in Economic Vitality, earning only 9.26 points. It was followed by Selma (9.57), Talladega (11.24), Prichard (16.92) and Fort Payne (20.46). Each of these cities has suffered serious declines in job growth, most have seen their populations shrink, and all of them have per capita incomes well below the state average.
2 Beacon Center of Tennessee, supra note 1, at 4.
3 In Alabama, businesses are assessed at a rate of 20% of the business appraised value, so the formula for calculating property tax is as follows: Tax Amount = Appraised Value Business Rate (20%) Millage Rate. Source: Alabama Department of Revenue, Property Tax Incentives, http://revenue.alabama.gov/ Taxincentives/proptaxincentives.html (last visited May 7, 2012).
Community Allure
The factors that make up the Community Allure category count for a smaller percentage of the rankings than Business Tax Burden and Economic Vitality. Nevertheless, indicators such as the cost of living index, education performance, and crime rates all play a key role in any citys business climate. With its reasonable cost of living, safe neighborhoods, and decent education system, Prattville takes the top spot in the Community Allure category (70.46). In second place is Hartselle (67.88), with a slightly lower violent crime rate but marginally lower education scores than Prattville. Alabaster (66.98), Pelham (66.34) and Hueytown (66.00) round out the top five in Community Allure. Despite having a low cost of living, Annistons very high crime rate and poor scores in education put it in last place for Community Allure (28.15). Selma (28.41), Prichard (33.47), Birmingham (37.60), and Bessemer (38.29) finish out the bottom five in this category.
The five cities with the lowest scores for Transportation Infrastructure tended to be located considerable distances from both commercial airports and major ports. Florence scored lowest in the state (40.70), followed by Muscle Shoals (40.95), Scottsboro (43.60), Albertville (43.98), and Alexander City (52.19).
Transportation Infrastructure
While the components of the Transportation Infrastructure category comprise the smallest percent of the ranking system, they are important because businesses of all sizes need quick, convenient access for their customers, employees, and suppliers. Moreover, those businesses need access to a variety of transportation hubs to ensure that their products are able to make it to broader markets quickly and affordably. Because it possesses a major airport, rail service, interstate access, and Alabamas only container-ready commercial port, Mobile takes first place in Transportation Infrastructure with a perfect score (100.00). Prichard and Saraland, both communities adjacent to Mobile, placed second (96.74) and third (94.88) because of their proximity to the coast and Mobiles airport. Montgomery and Prattville placed fourth (94.40) and fifth (89.79), respectively, in this category.
Conclusion
Alabamas most business-friendly cities possess responsible, limited governance, reasonable tax rates, quality school systems, low crime, access to transportation infrastructure, and a thriving economy despite significant economic challenges over the last several years. Most of the states top 10 business-friendly cities look like Fairhope and Millbrook, which possess small but growing populations, access to transportation, and room to grow geographically. This does not mean, though, that larger cities cannot compete against smaller, nimbler ones. Montgomery (8th place) has populations well above 200,000, yet it already possesses vital transportation hubs, low business property taxes, and an average cost of living. Local policymakers seeking to make their cities more business-friendly should follow the path of these cities by maintaining low tax rates on businesses and families, focusing on education and public safety, and making sound investments designed to attract prospective businesses. By making simple adjustments, many cities across Alabama could be on their way to becoming Alabamas Most Business-Friendly City, and in the process, help establish Alabama as a destination for growing companies. A word of encouragement to the cities whose scores are not where they want them to be: every city surveyed, from the worst to the best, has considerable room for improvement. Even Fairhope, the best city in Alabama for business, scored only 73.85 out of a possible 100 points. While a perfect score is highly unlikely, an improvement of only 10 points could move a lagging city to the center of the pack, or a middling city to the top 10. Cities at or near the top should not rest on their laurels. On average, less than one point separated the rankings from each other, and less than three points separated first and second place. If several cities made even small changes to improve their business climate, next years rankings could be dramatically different.
The Business-Friendly Formula

Economic Vitality (35% of overall score): Recent job growth (50% of Economic Vitality category) 4 Residential population growth from 2010 to 2011 (12.5%)5 Population growth from 2000 to 2010, divided by 10 (12.5%)6 Median per capita income (25%)7 Business Tax Burden (30% of overall score): Business property taxes (70% of Business Tax Burden category)8 Local sales tax (30%)9 Community Allure (20% of overall score): Cost of living index (35% of Community Allure category)10 Per capita violent crime rate (35%)11 Percent of adults age 25 or older with at least a high school diploma (15%)12 Average SAT 10 scores for 8th grade math and reading (15%)13 Transportation Infrastructure (15% of overall score): Distance to primary commercial service airport (25% of Transportation Infrastructure category)14 Distance to commercial rail service (25%)15 Distance to port capable of handling container shipping (25%)16 Distance to Interstate Highway System (25%)17
4 U.S. Census Bureau, American Fact Finder, Table S2301: Employment Status (American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for 2007-2011 and 2006-2010), www.factfinder2. census.gov (last visited March 5, 2013). 5 U.S. Census Bureau, State & County Quick Facts, http:// quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html (last visited March 5, 2013). 6 Id. 7 Id. 8 Property Tax Division, Alabama Department of Revenue, www.revenue.alabama.gov/advalorem/MILLS11.pdf (last visited March 5, 2013). 9 Alabama Department of Revenue, Alabama Cities that levy Sales, Use, Lodgings, and Rental Taxes, http:// revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/sales/index.cfm?Action=City (last visited March 5, 2013).
10 Sperlings Best Places, www.bestplaces.net (last visited February 14, 2013). 11 Alabama Criminal Justice Information System, Crime in Alabama 2011 (2012), available at www.acjic.alabama.gov/ cia/2010_cia.pdf. 12 U.S. Census Bureau, State & County Quick Facts, supra note 5. 13 Alabama State Department of Education, www.alsde. edu/html/reports_menu.asp# (last visited March 5, 2013). 14 TravelMath.Com, Nearest Airport, www.travelmath.com/ nearest-airport/ (last visited June 2, 2012). 15 Distance to rail service and Interstate Highway System calculated using Google Maps, maps.google.com (last visited June 4, 2012). 16 Distance between cities and commercial portsMobile, AL, Panama City, FL, and Pensacola, FLcalculated using DistanceBetweenCities.Net, www.distancebetweencities. net/ (last visited June 2, 2012). 17 Google Maps, supra note 15.
Appendix A: Overall Business-Friendly Ranking Economic Vitality

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fairhope Millbrook Athens Daphne Jasper Prattville Northport Montgomery Center Point 83.82 61.65 72.80 65.74 58.19 40.65 58.52 47.48 59.54 75.93 60.93 49.25 58.24 68.59 43.64 33.85 58.09 27.29 52.38 42.97 53.83 70.10 65.10 51.27 64.46
Business Tax Burden

77.98 79.65 75.22 75.21 82.75 78.95 84.87 73.70 64.67 35.11 63.41 69.83 47.06 42.96 63.84 91.04 68.29 86.59 44.89 79.34 61.90 37.22 26.33 42.09 37.22
Community Allure
53.70 60.31 58.84 61.78 58.18 70.46 40.60 53.31 53.52 64.40 57.10 53.66 65.80 55.16 67.88 53.37 59.93 61.49 65.16 43.83 43.09 43.96 66.00 66.34 53.87
69.18 89.41 71.53 76.24 70.24 89.79 69.63 94.40 83.11 82.87 69.82 82.42 80.85 76.34 73.53 60.92 40.95 67.07 83.25 59.68 70.19 79.97 83.20 81.15 76.66
Overall Score
73.85 70.95 70.55 69.37 67.36 65.47 64.51 63.55 63.41 62.42 62.24 61.28 59.79 59.38 59.03 58.97 58.95 57.88 57.32 56.56 56.56 56.49 56.37 56.01 56.00
10 Trussville 11 Enterprise 12 Dothan 13 Helena 14 Madison 15 Hartselle 16 Foley 17 Muscle Shoals 18 Cullman 19 Gardendale 20 Troy 21 Tuscaloosa 22 Opelika 23 Hueytown 24 Pelham 25 Auburn
Economic Vitality
26 Alabaster 27 Alexander City 28 Homewood 29 Albertville 30 Vestavia Hills 31 Scottsboro 32 Saraland 33 Hoover 34 Florence 35 Mountain Brook 36 Huntsville 37 Decatur 38 Phenix City 39 Ozark 40 Mobile 41 Gadsden 42 Fort Payne 43 Oxford 44 Eufaula 45 Bessemer 46 Talladega 47 Birmingham 48 Anniston 49 Prichard 50 Selma 55.55 50.18 69.09 59.74 72.38 47.69 41.48 57.61 56.15 64.87 58.20 34.86 47.87 38.79 45.38 41.80 20.46 36.86 9.26 48.37 11.24 39.76 26.81 16.92 9.57
Business Tax Burden

37.22 72.47 23.75 51.89 20.84 62.23 36.64 25.01 53.12 20.76 35.90 54.13 31.04 45.09 14.37 47.06 66.93 42.98 71.29 15.64 58.10 14.96 35.12 17.18 30.71
Community Allure
66.98 41.16 52.10 55.43 58.01 51.93 62.72 57.45 49.49 54.09 41.42 52.10 45.57 46.29 60.22 46.47 55.20 56.13 54.49 38.29 41.38 37.60 28.15 33.47 28.41
79.82 52.19 84.80 43.98 72.31 43.60 94.88 83.94 40.70 78.74 77.02 74.45 89.04 74.23 100.00 59.12 56.96 61.41 59.73 80.45 63.63 86.63 61.09 96.74 60.52
Overall Score
55.98 55.37 54.45 54.16 54.03 52.29 52.29 51.75 51.60 51.56 50.98 50.03 48.54 47.50 47.24 46.91 46.82 46.23 44.49 41.35 39.19 38.92 34.71 32.28 27.32
Appendix B: Economic Vitality Ranking Recent Job Growth: 2010-2011

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fairhope Trussville Athens Vestavia Hills Opelika Homewood Madison Daphne Hueytown 87.42 78.77 82.93 66.59 86.85 92.46 47.48 52.30 95.88 67.00 69.20 58.51 65.68 75.58 97.86 63.70 39.51 53.06 78.63 73.85 41.16 78.99 42.31 62.49 50.32
Residential Population Growth: 2010-2011

95.46 28.70 99.08 28.64 94.09 28.33 84.40 95.80 28.48 28.80 92.88 67.65 66.92 70.28 30.30 74.25 71.80 80.59 17.80 33.55 42.52 29.15 77.60 71.04 28.83

61.77 95.66 48.75 84.84 43.81 24.09 91.31 73.46 30.54 22.14 64.10 86.77 66.17 61.57 2.99 56.95 98.26 45.87 26.44 39.55 73.46 36.43 79.13 49.96 55.99
Median Per Capita Income

81.83 84.00 51.44 99.58 37.77 65.23 91.53 73.75 39.14 100.00 40.95 52.38 45.83 21.87 25.83 41.09 68.90 63.46 53.38 48.12 90.12 33.85 59.21 29.82 66.45
Total Economic Vitality Score

83.82 75.93 72.80 72.38 70.10 69.09 68.59 65.74 65.10 64.87 64.46 61.65 60.93 59.74 59.54 58.52 58.24 58.20 58.19 58.09 57.61 56.15 55.55 53.83 52.38
10 Mountain Brook 11 Auburn 12 Millbrook 13 Enterprise 14 Albertville 15 Center Point 16 Northport 17 Helena 18 Huntsville 19 Jasper 20 Muscle Shoals 21 Hoover 22 Florence 23 Alabaster 24 Tuscaloosa 25 Gardendale
10
Recent Job Growth: 2010-2011

26 Pelham 27 Alexander City 28 Dothan 29 Bessemer 30 Phenix City 31 Scottsboro 32 Montgomery 33 Mobile 34 Hartselle 35 Troy 36 Gadsden 37 Saraland 38 Prattville 39 Birmingham 40 Ozark 41 Oxford 42 Decatur 43 Foley 44 Cullman 45 Anniston 46 Fort Payne 47 Prichard 48 Talladega 49 Selma 50 Eufaula 24.81 73.69 51.08 75.78 45.10 63.15 49.35 60.15 44.22 48.41 61.99 47.18 16.18 56.31 50.90 30.49 32.23 0.07 18.40 30.52 0.67 22.28 5.05 1.62 2.33

77.93 26.54 54.32 28.51 98.59 32.03 68.35 23.31 42.50 24.98 22.86 28.92 71.06 28.95 15.69 11.60 39.69 96.13 31.57 10.85 64.75 23.42 9.95 4.78 2.56

92.77 22.20 45.16 14.43 49.96 23.48 26.37 20.85 54.40 72.45 16.59 37.56 85.55 9.82 21.51 91.24 28.11 99.97 31.73 17.30 36.22 4.81 28.52 25.07 16.48
Median Per Capita Income

70.08 28.98 45.09 20.45 27.01 36.72 43.84 39.12 37.67 26.37 23.48 38.32 51.93 27.02 34.77 35.03 41.07 37.20 40.69 32.13 30.03 9.01 15.65 20.11 22.87
Total Economic Vitality Score

51.27 50.18 49.25 48.37 47.87 47.69 47.48 45.38 43.64 42.97 41.80 41.48 40.65 39.76 38.79 36.86 34.86 33.85 27.29 26.81 20.46 16.92 11.24 9.57 9.26
11
Appendix C: Business Tax Burden Ranking Local Business / Gross Receipts Sales Tax
94.21 99.93 94.21 94.21 48.50 69.12 48.50 94.21 69.12 84.99 48.50 48.50 69.12 28.28 48.50 69.12 94.21 28.28 48.50 69.12 94.21 4.97 28.28 48.50 28.28
Business Property Taxes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Foley Cullman Northport Jasper Millbrook Troy Prattville Fairhope Athens 89.67 80.87 80.87 77.84 93.00 83.72 92.00 71.02 77.84 71.02 84.49 82.74 72.22 87.63 76.77 65.98 52.01 79.08 69.79 59.28 48.05 80.87 65.20 55.11 62.01
Total Business Tax Burden Score

91.04 86.59 84.87 82.75 79.65 79.34 78.95 77.98 75.22 75.21 73.70 72.47 71.29 69.83 68.29 66.93 64.67 63.84 63.41 62.23 61.90 58.10 54.13 53.12 51.89
10 Daphne 11 Montgomery 12 Alexander City 13 Eufaula 14 Dothan 15 Muscle Shoals 16 Fort Payne 17 Center Point 18 Hartselle 19 Enterprise 20 Scottsboro 21 Tuscaloosa 22 Talladega 23 Decatur 24 Florence 25 Albertville
12
Business Property Taxes

26 Helena 27 Gadsden 28 Ozark 29 Gardendale 30 Oxford 31 Madison 32 Pelham 33 Opelika 34 Auburn 35 Alabaster 36 Saraland 37 Huntsville 38 Anniston 39 Trussville 40 Phenix City 41 Selma 42 Hueytown 43 Hoover 44 Homewood 45 Vestavia Hills 46 Mountain Brook 47 Prichard 48 Bessemer 49 Birmingham 50 Mobile 55.11 55.11 52.29 52.01 59.28 31.75 30.50 41.05 41.05 41.05 46.63 30.50 48.05 38.04 28.06 31.75 25.49 6.11 4.31 0.15 0.03 22.41 10.22 9.25 18.40
Local Business / Gross Receipts Sales Tax

28.28 28.28 28.28 28.28 4.97 69.12 69.12 28.28 28.28 28.28 13.32 48.50 4.97 28.28 37.98 28.28 28.28 69.12 69.12 69.12 69.12 4.97 28.28 28.28 4.97
Total Business Tax Burden Score

47.06 47.06 45.09 44.89 42.98 42.96 42.09 37.22 37.22 37.22 36.64 35.90 35.12 35.11 31.04 30.71 26.33 25.01 23.75 20.84 20.76 17.18 15.64 14.96 14.37
13
Appendix D: Community Allure Ranking Per Capita Violent Crime

73.74 75.65 72.77 78.13 69.07 79.79 74.64 82.51 65.91 74.39 72.91 68.11 61.84 53.48 74.09 41.84 79.07 79.20 56.14 52.41 68.93 72.82 70.05 69.98 70.53
Cost of Living
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prattville Hartselle Alabaster Pelham Hueytown Helena Gardendale Trussville Saraland 55.61 52.28 55.61 49.67 79.44 48.18 51.53 30.11 74.04 38.67 51.16 50.04 76.40 53.39 43.38 75.24 4.67 7.83 55.98 64.93 76.11 66.31 7.43 66.31 0.00
High School Graduation Rate

77.06 74.53 80.58 85.97 56.85 87.70 74.96 90.24 39.21 87.15 25.26 79.83 52.57 60.54 46.64 48.25 94.89 89.03 48.79 28.84 2.32 1.14 92.57 27.47 97.07
SAT Averaged Reading & Math Scores

90.89 79.51 66.41 58.12 36.64 52.36 65.07 76.27 52.36 60.94 95.18 46.56 26.34 89.64 71.54 66.41 96.47 90.89 70.29 71.54 28.77 42.24 94.40 17.77 98.98
Total Community Allure Score

70.46 67.88 66.98 66.34 66.00 65.80 65.16 64.40 62.72 61.78 61.49 60.31 60.22 59.93 58.84 58.18 58.01 57.45 57.10 56.13 55.43 55.20 55.16 54.49 54.09
10 Daphne 11 Cullman 12 Millbrook 13 Mobile 14 Muscle Shoals 15 Athens 16 Jasper 17 Vestavia Hills 18 Hoover 19 Enterprise 20 Oxford 21 Albertville 22 Fort Payne 23 Madison 24 Eufaula 25 Mountain Brook
14
Cost of Living
26 Auburn 27 Fairhope 28 Dothan 29 Center Point 30 Foley 31 Montgomery 32 Decatur 33 Homewood 34 Scottsboro 35 Florence 36 Gadsden 37 Ozark 38 Phenix City 39 Opelika 40 Troy 41 Tuscaloosa 42 Huntsville 43 Talladega 44 Alexander City 45 Northport 46 Bessemer 47 Birmingham 48 Prichard 49 Selma 50 Anniston 16.86 11.83 65.28 85.43 56.71 60.70 53.76 4.07 45.59 55.24 83.43 68.99 66.31 45.96 59.62 41.91 36.19 75.53 66.98 29.14 93.35 84.34 86.06 76.11 70.61
Per Capita Violent Crime

67.59 66.70 49.40 38.04 57.08 67.21 62.56 70.75 67.27 42.58 33.09 36.77 43.93 58.15 34.12 54.96 31.18 36.91 25.49 42.98 2.84 5.22 0.31 0.00 1.61
High School Graduation Rate

89.28 91.36 45.03 65.64 65.14 47.71 27.93 85.97 17.79 40.78 16.09 27.93 28.84 26.14 32.64 49.33 65.14 4.26 9.19 56.32 19.61 35.12 4.77 5.63 17.44
SAT Averaged Reading & Math Scores

72.76 83.40 45.11 3.06 25.16 9.26 48.01 86.77 65.07 60.94 21.81 33.93 17.77 24.02 40.82 11.91 53.81 9.26 49.46 46.06 11.20 6.59 16.83 6.13 1.67
Total Community Allure Score

53.87 53.70 53.66 53.52 53.37 53.31 52.10 52.10 51.93 49.49 46.47 46.29 45.57 43.96 43.83 43.09 41.42 41.38 41.16 40.60 38.29 37.60 33.47 28.41 28.15
15
Appendix E: Transportation Infrastructure Ranking Distance to Commercial Service Airport

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mobile Prichard Saraland Montgomery Prattville Millbrook Phenix City Birmingham Homewood 100.00 87.18 80.07 100.00 83.75 81.94 94.51 100.00 91.80 85.50 90.33 76.15 100.00 88.79 100.00 69.92 69.92 76.15 52.40 63.41 95.75 100.00 41.90 94.51 65.60
Distance to Rail Service

100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 99.22 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 73.24 100.00 100.00 100.00 40.16
Distance to Containerized Shipping Port

100.00 99.79 99.45 77.59 75.42 75.70 71.92 46.50 48.18 50.25 42.68 57.42 40.96 42.68 92.91 54.69 53.49 45.66 67.47 55.87 46.92 8.08 64.75 10.85 99.22
Distance to Interstate Highway System

100.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 61.74 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 71.23 63.46 72.00 8.77 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 71.04 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00
Transportation Infrastructure Score

100.00 96.74 94.88 94.40 89.79 89.41 89.04 86.63 84.80 83.94 83.25 83.20 83.11 82.87 82.42 81.15 80.85 80.45 79.97 79.82 78.74 77.02 76.66 76.34 76.24
10 Hoover 11 Gardendale 12 Hueytown 13 Center Point 14 Trussville 15 Dothan 16 Pelham 17 Helena 18 Bessemer 19 Opelika 20 Alabaster 21 Mountain Brook 22 Huntsville 23 Auburn 24 Madison 25 Daphne
16
Distance to Commercial Service Airport

26 Decatur 27 Ozark 28 Hartselle 29 Vestavia Hills 30 Athens 31 Jasper 32 Tuscaloosa 33 Enterprise 34 Northport 35 Fairhope 36 Cullman 37 Talladega 38 Oxford 39 Anniston 40 Foley 41 Selma 42 Eufaula 43 Troy 44 Gadsden 45 Fort Payne 46 Alexander City 47 Albertville 48 Scottsboro 49 Muscle Shoals 50 Florence 83.75 78.13 76.15 90.33 76.15 36.16 14.62 59.00 14.62 61.21 41.90 30.97 14.62 14.62 45.99 32.63 23.75 25.05 14.62 16.68 15.94 26.42 25.05 15.94 15.25
Distance to Rail Service

100.00 100.00 100.00 49.50 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 38.98 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 38.97 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Distance to Containerized Shipping Port

14.05 89.74 17.99 49.42 9.97 44.81 66.12 88.75 65.44 98.84 26.36 48.60 31.02 29.74 98.15 78.63 84.00 83.57 21.86 11.16 61.54 16.51 4.72 18.36 16.88
Distance to Interstate Highway System

72.00 1.03 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 72.00 3.52 70.45 49.67 72.00 46.96 72.00 72.00 32.58 2.83 3.18 2.11 72.00 72.00 3.30 5.00 16.64 1.49 2.69
Transportation Infrastructure Score

74.45 74.23 73.53 72.31 71.53 70.24 70.19 69.82 69.63 69.18 67.07 63.63 61.41 61.09 60.92 60.52 59.73 59.68 59.12 56.96 52.19 43.98 43.60 40.95 40.70
17
402 Office Park Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35223 205.870.9900 info@alabamapolicy.org www. alabamapolicy.org

Alabama Policy Institute Study

Cargado por

Información del documento

Título original

Derechos de autor

Formatos disponibles

Compartir este documento

Compartir o incrustar documentos

Opciones para compartir

¿Le pareció útil este documento?

¿Este contenido es inapropiado?

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

Alabama Policy Institute Study

Cargado por

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

API INFORMED

A White Paper from the Alabama Policy Institute

Building Business in Alabama: How Business-Friendly Are Alabamas 50 Largest Cities?