Location. Quality of schools. Low crime rate. Housing availability and value. Job opportunities.

Those are just some of the factors that go into making certain areas great places to live. Those are also the criteria Niche used when determining the best ZIP codes to live in Alabama.  You can see the complete methodology and sources here.

Here are the top 25 ZIP codes in Alabama, according to Niche:

1. 35758 – 47,184 population in Madison

2. 35226 – 38,064 population in Hoover

3. 35801 – 25,145 population in Huntsville

4. 35244 – 36,121 population in Hoover

5. 35756 – 22,410 population in Huntsville

6. 36830 – 48,282 population in Auburn

7. 35806 – 26, 199 population in Huntsville

8. 35824- 9,129 population in Huntsville

9. 35802 – 23,629 population in Huntsville

10. 35216 – 38,829 population in Hoover

11. 35803 – 27,990 population in Huntsville

12. 35757 – 17,829 population in Huntsville/Madison County

13. 35124 – 25,594 population in Pelham

14. 35763 – 19,328 population in Huntsville

15. 35242 – 57,077 population in Birmingham

16. 35406 – 18,228 population in Tuscaloosa

17. 35741 – 3,415 population in Huntsville

18. 36527 – 17,146 population in Spanish Fort

19. 35209 – 29,287 population in Homewood

20. 35243 – 17,532 population in Birmingham

21. 36879 – 2,583 population in Auburn

22. 35080 – 19,266 population in Helena

23. 35114 – 8,156 population in Alabaster

24. 35223 – 11,431 population in Mountain Brook

25. 36532 – 35,688 population in Fairhope