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Living in
Calera.
About
Life in Calera
You're positioned right on the Birmingham metro area's southern edge, with easy I-65 access that gets you to the city in about 34 miles if you need employment or culture beyond what Calera offers locally, though your average commute will run around 33-34 minutes. The job market here is solid with unemployment sitting at just 2.2%, and housing remains genuinely accessible compared to national standards—median home values hover around $235,300, and median rent at $1,601 won't crush your budget. Weather-wise, expect hot, humid summers—this is deep South heat—with mild winters that rarely get harsh, though summer afternoons can be oppressive without air conditioning.
Calera at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Foreign-Born
4.7%
Broadband Internet
96.1%
of households
Population Growth
+15.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Calera: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Calera, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (66.2%), and 6.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.3%
of residents
65 and Older
8.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.2%
of households
Married Couples
53.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.64
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 59% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Calera
In Calera, rent runs 59% above the AL average, and home values are 12% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,054
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2006
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $255,450 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Calera and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Shelby County, which includes Calera, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
Calera: Shelby County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Shelby County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Calera 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
Commute33 min avg
How Calera residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Calera, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 43% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 32 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 139 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 20% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Calera runs 20% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
262.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,265.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Calera 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 Calera, 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 Calera, 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
Calera 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
57.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"
Hot Days/Year
63
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
43
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
114
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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Calera
Uninsured
7.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Calera's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.6 mi away · Alabaster
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.
Education18.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Calera
Calera's student/teacher ratio is 18.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 37.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
37.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.4:1
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, 27 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Calera
Calera has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (27 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
27 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
59 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
59 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
60 mi awayTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
National Historic Site
77 mi awayTuskegee Institute National Historic Site
National Historic Site
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in Calera
Calera Public Library
9700 Highway 25, Calera
Cities Near Calera
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Calera?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Calera FAQ
Is Calera, Alabama affordable?⌄
Calera's median rent is $1,601/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $87,194/year. Median home value is $235,300.
Is Calera, Alabama safe?⌄
Calera's violent crime rate was 263 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1266 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Calera, Alabama?⌄
Shelby County, which includes Calera, 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 Calera, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Calera is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,601/month and median household income is $87,194/year. The median home value is $235,300. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Calera, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Calera is 33 minutes, which is longer than 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