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Snead vs Brookside

44 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (9.9× in Snead) and growth since 2010 (+31.7 pts in Snead).

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Snead, ALOne of the healthiest townsAlabama · 1,247 people

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Brookside, ALOne of the safest townsAlabama · 1,603 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

SneadOne of the healthiest towns

Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 27%of U.S. towns we grade All about Snead →

BrooksideOne of the safest towns

SafetySafer than 20%of U.S. towns we grade All about Brookside →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker9.9×

Snead is more of a job hub

Snead 0.79Brookside 0.08

Growth since 2010+31.7 pts

Snead has grown faster since 2010

Snead +23.6%Brookside -8.1%

Home values+63%

Homes cost more in Snead

Snead $175,200Brookside $107,400

Average commute13 min

Brookside has the shorter commute

Snead 41 minBrookside 27 min

Typical home built26 yrs

Brookside’s homes are older

Snead 1996Brookside 1970

Age 65++6.4 pts

Snead has more people 65 and up

Snead 17.7%Brookside 11.3%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Snead

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Snead$1,220/mo

Typical home $223K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.31% · or rent about $631/mo · Housing →

Brookside$600/mo

Typical home $107K (Census) · tax rate 0.46% · or rent about $1,098/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,400 a year, between Snead and Brookside.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Alabama ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

CSneadSafer than 27% of U.S. towns C−BrooksideSafer than 20% of U.S. towns

Health

CSneadHealthier than 27% of U.S. towns B−BrooksideHealthier than 46% of U.S. towns

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

SneadBrookside

Snow a year2″1″

January low—35°F

July high—91°F

Growing season (days)—236d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)66th 78th

Outdoors & history

SneadBrookside

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0.5%—

Settled—1886

Archive photos4 —

Community

SneadBrookside

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

44 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SneadAL BrooksideAL

Snead ↔ Brookside44 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Alabama average

SneadBrookside

People

Population 1,247Lowest 1,603Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +23.6%Highest AL: +5.1% -8.1%Lowest AL: +5.1%

Median age 32.8±11.1Lowest 17% below AL 33.5±10.3Highest 15% below AL

Brookside and Snead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 25.8%±10.9Lowest AL: 22.2% 29.1%±8.8Highest AL: 22.2%

Brookside and Snead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 17.7%±2.8Highest AL: 17.8% 11.3%±1.5Lowest AL: 17.8%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.8%Highest AL: 28.4% 10.5%Lowest AL: 28.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.3%±1.1Lowest AL: 6.3% 1.9%±2.3Highest AL: 6.3%

Brookside and Snead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $48,509±$7kLowest 24% below AL $59,271±$27kHighest 7% below AL

Brookside and Snead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $175,200±$34kHighest 17% below AL $107,400±$16kLowest 49% below AL

Rentmedian gross, monthly $631±$476Lowest 37% below AL $1,098±$474Highest 9% above AL

Brookside and Snead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $535Highest 32% below AL $497Lowest 37% below AL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 19.3%±17.6Lowest AL: 48.8% 54.8%±73Highest AL: 48.8%

Brookside and Snead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 14.8%Lowest AL: 15.6% 26.5%Highest AL: 15.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 70.8%Highest AL: 70.2% 68.9%Lowest AL: 70.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1996Highest 10 yrs newer than AL 1970Lowest 16 yrs older than AL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 41 minHighest 60% above AL 27 minLowest 7% above AL

Work from home 17.4%±24.3Highest AL: 8.8% 3.4%±4.1Lowest AL: 8.8%

Snead and Brookside are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 5.7%Highest 0.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.8 miHighest 12.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Highest 0.08Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Birmingham (9%)Birmingham (38%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BrooksideFew work in Snead

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 0.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 11.5Highest 10.9Lowest

Alabama average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Snead neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Snead’s Town Square.

Brookside neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brookside’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Snead and Brookside

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Snead

Susan Moore1,336 people · $120K homes

Towns like Snead

Leesburg998 people · $183K homes

South Vinemont693 people · $170K homes

Cherokee1,120 people · $102K homes

Fairview796 people · $258K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.