Interesting enough, UA has more generous in-state merit scholarships (similar $ but slightly lower ACT score requirements).
http://auburn.edu/scholarship/undergraduate/freshman.html
https://scholarships.ua.edu/types/in-state.php
The COA for in-state students is about the same at both schools.
Based on 2017,
AU enrolled 2,776 in-state freshman (total freshman enrollment was 4,836), while UA enrolled 2,287 (out of a total of 7,407 enrolled).