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Living in
Alabaster.
About
Life in Alabaster
Alabaster functions as a solid middle-class suburb for people who want proximity to Birmingham without living in the city itself. The 30-minute commute to downtown is manageable for those with jobs there, and the local unemployment rate sits at just 2.3%, suggesting decent job availability in the area. Housing costs are moderate by current standards, with median home values around $261,700 and rents averaging $1,375 monthly—affordable enough to appeal to families but not rock-bottom cheap.
Alabaster at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Foreign-Born
6.9%
Broadband Internet
94.9%
of households
Population Growth
+4.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Alabaster: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alabaster, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (49.3%), and 8.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.8%
of residents
65 and Older
14.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.1%
of households
Married Couples
61.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.78
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 36% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Alabaster
In Alabaster, rent runs 36% above the AL average, and home values are 25% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,221
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
87.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $304,910 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Alabaster and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Alabaster is 0.7 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Alabaster Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Birmingham-Hoover, AL metro area
Commute30.6 min avg
How Alabaster residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alabaster, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 140 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 71% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Alabaster runs 71% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
95
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
961.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Alabaster Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Shelby County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Shelby County, which includes Alabaster, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Hail | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Drought | None reported |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Shelby County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Shelby County, which includes Alabaster, is typically good.
Median AQI
36
Shelby County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alabaster has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
75°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.7"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
63
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
43
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
126
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 36°F | 5.35" |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 5.76" |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 5.40" |
| Apr | 75°F | 53°F | 5.07" |
| May | 83°F | 61°F | 4.15" |
| Jun | 88°F | 69°F | 4.58" |
| Jul | 91°F | 72°F | 4.93" |
| Aug | 91°F | 71°F | 4.72" |
| Sep | 86°F | 66°F | 3.57" |
| Oct | 76°F | 54°F | 3.03" |
| Nov | 66°F | 43°F | 4.56" |
| Dec | 58°F | 38°F | 5.07" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alabaster
Alabaster has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.6 mi away · Bessemer
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alabaster
Alabaster's student/teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 41.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alabaster
Alabaster has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
21 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
60 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
65 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
66 mi awayTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayTuskegee Institute National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Alabaster
Alabaster - Albert L. Scott Library
100 9th Street N.W., Alabaster
Cities Near Alabaster
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Alabaster?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alabaster FAQ
Is Alabaster, Alabama affordable?⌄
Alabaster's median rent is $1,372/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $91,357/year. Median home value is $261,700.
Is Alabaster, Alabama safe?⌄
Alabaster's violent crime rate was 95 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 962 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alabaster, Alabama?⌄
Alabaster has an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alabaster, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Alabaster is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,372/month and median household income is $91,357/year. The median home value is $261,700. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alabaster, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Alabaster is 31 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from