24/7 Wall St. names Hoover best place to live in Alabama

Hoover is the best place to live in Alabama, according to the 2021 rankings by the 24/7 Wall St. website.

The financial news and opinion company considered every city, town and census-designated place with a population of at least 8,000 people, weighing 25 factors in four main categories: the economy, affordability, quality of life and community.

Some of the specific factors considered included access to public spaces and services, the presence of entertainment and cultural amenities, crime rates and socioeconomic conditions.

Data from the most recent year available was pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources.

Hoover’s annual violent crime rate of 133 incidents per 100,000 people was well below the state rate of 511 incidents per 100,000, according to 24/7 Wall St.

People living in Hoover are also far more likely to be financially secure than the typical Alabama resident, the website said. The typical Hoover household earns $89,452 a year, and only 6.2% of the population live below the poverty line. Meanwhile, across all of Alabama, the median household income was $50,536, and the poverty rate stood at 16.7%.

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said city officials are very excited to receive this prestigious ranking from 24/7 Wall St, especially given that there are some fantastic cities throughout Alabama.

“This is a very well-respected publication, and to be listed as the top city in the state of Alabama is something we’re very proud of, and we want to continue to work hard to make sure we continue to provide the quality of life and amenities to make sure the data that this was based on remains very favorable in Hoover, Alabama,” he said.

City officials from previous years have always strived to provide a high quality of life, and current officials want to continue that trend and mindset, Brocato said.