Housing is the largest expenditure for most households and since the beginning of the pandemic the cost of homes in the U.S. has risen more than 40%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Wages, meanwhile, continue to struggle to keep pace, just as they have for at least two decades. While median household income in the U.S. rose by more than 77% between 2000 and 2022, the median cost of a home rose by a whopping 170% from $123,086 to $332,826.

Adjusted for inflation, household incomes rose by 4.5%, while the median home price rose by 59.1%.

Any way you look at it, the cost of buying a home has continued to grow more difficult for many Americans since the start of this century.

With that in mind, Construction Coverage — a resource guide for construction professionals — examined cities across the U.S. based on their median home price-to-median income ratio and found that two Alabama cities were among the best for finding housing which fits into the average family budget.

Among midsize cities, Montgomery ranked second only to Toledo, Ohio, with a 2.5 ratio — derived by taking Montgomery’s median home price of $139,969 and dividing it by the median household income of $56,707.

Toledo edged out Montgomery with a 2.3 ratio ($105,239 median home price/$45,405 median income).

Birmingham came in eighth among midsize cities with a 3.1 ratio, based on its $131,290 median home price and $42,464 median household income.

Among small cities, neighboring Jackson, Miss., had the lowest price-to-income ratio at 1.4, with a median home price of $61,474 and a median household income of $42,193.

On Monday, Alabama bolstered its secondary by securing a commitment from Charlotte transfer Kameron Howard. In his freshman season, Howard participated in 12 games, starting two, and amassed 38 tackles, one pass breakup, and two interceptions.

Howard joins the Crimson Tide as the third transfer this spring, joining offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor from Iowa and Graham Nicholson, a Lou Groza Award-winning kicker from Miami-Ohio. The spring transfer window is set to close on Tuesday.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 189-pounds, the talented safety will strengthen a key position for Alabama, which was left vulnerable after several players entered the NFL Draft and following the retirement of head coach Nick Saban in January.

Did you notice? 

• Alabama forward Grant Nelson has announced on various social media platforms that he will return for the 2024-25 season.

• With the New Orleans Pelicans’ elimination by the Oklahoma City Thunder, former Alabama forward Herb Jones’ stint as the last Crimson Tide player in the 2024 NBA Playoffs has concluded.

• Cliff Omoruyi, a 6-foot-11 forward transfer from Rutgers, finished his official visit to Alabama on Monday. Omoruyi is a high-priority recruit, and securing his commitment could be a significant addition for the Crimson Tide, provided lead recruiter and assistant coach Preston Murphy and his team can finalize the deal.

Countdown to Crimson Tide’s 2024 Football Season Opener: 

On This Day in Crimson Tide History: 

April 30, 1985: Emanuel King was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. 

April 30, 1988: Robert Lester was born in Foley, Ala. 

April 30, 2012: Billy Neighbors died in Huntsville, Ala. 

Crimson Tide Quote of the Day: 

“Don’t talk too much or too soon.” – Paul W. “Bear” Bryant 

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Montgomery lawmaker aiming to ban devices that convert handguns into machine guns says his bill will be on the House floor on Tuesday.

Rep. Phillip Ensler says he has seen the violent crime headlines and wants to do something about it.

“It’s heartbreaking,” he said. “I know that people are understandably concerned. And for those that have been either victims of gun violence or their families or friends, I know it’s really traumatic, and my heart goes out to them. As a lawmaker though, I’m here to do exactly that, as the title says, enact laws.”

It has been the Democrat’s effort to ban devices commonly known as trigger activators or glock switches.

Ensler’s bill saw bipartisan support in committee, but the true test will lie on the House floor.

“Here’s an opportunity to back the blue. Here’s an opportunity to do the right thing,” Ensler said. “So I certainly hope that tomorrow, that it gets overwhelming Democratic and Republican support.”

The bill has become stricter. A recent amendment made initial possession a Class C felony instead of a misdemeanor.

“That is what federal law is,” the lawmaker said. “So we want to make sure in Alabama that we are consistent with what the federal government, what federal law is, so that’s why we’re doing it that way.”

Because this is already federal law, the public may wonder why lawmakers are looking at creating a state law to begin with. Supporters say the federal indictment process can take months and that a state law could allow law enforcement to work more quickly.

There is also a companion bill in the Senate that bans glock switches.

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