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Living in
Hoover.
About
Life in Hoover
Nestled along the Appalachian foothills just 11 miles north of downtown Birmingham, this is Alabama's largest suburb—a place where young families and professionals genuinely choose to stay, not just pass through. With a median household income around $107,000 and a median home value near $391,000, you're looking at a solid middle-to-upper-middle-class community where the cost of living reflects the stability and investment people have poured into it; the poverty rate hovers around 5%, and over 60% of residents hold college degrees, so the educational bar here is genuinely high. The job market is anchored by major corporate office parks and the Riverchase Galleria complex, but the real economic lifeline is proximity to Birmingham's medical and professional sectors—UAB and its medical school are just 8-10 miles away, meaning healthcare, research, and education jobs are accessible without the commute burden of living closer to the city.
Hoover at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Foreign-Born
8.9%
Broadband Internet
96.4%
of households
Population Growth
+1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Hoover: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hoover, the largest foreign-born group is from India (16.9%), and 3.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
16.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.3%
of households
Married Couples
56.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.49
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 45% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Hoover
In Hoover, rent runs 45% above the AL average, and home values are 96% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,486
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $437,458 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Hoover and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Hoover is 0.8 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 Hoover 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
Commute25.2 min avg
How Hoover residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hoover, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 141 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 80% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Hoover runs 80% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
65.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,034.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Hoover Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jefferson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jefferson County, which includes Hoover, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.0M |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 25 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jefferson County, county-wide
Air Quality52 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Jefferson County, which includes Hoover, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
52
Good Days
159
per year
Moderate Days
204
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Jefferson County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hoover has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.0"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
87
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
51
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 35°F | 5.10" |
| Feb | 60°F | 38°F | 5.58" |
| Mar | 68°F | 45°F | 5.34" |
| Apr | 76°F | 51°F | 5.18" |
| May | 83°F | 60°F | 4.15" |
| Jun | 90°F | 68°F | 4.23" |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 4.76" |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 4.42" |
| Sep | 87°F | 64°F | 3.93" |
| Oct | 76°F | 52°F | 3.62" |
| Nov | 65°F | 42°F | 4.66" |
| Dec | 57°F | 37°F | 4.65" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hoover
Uninsured
5.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Hoover's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Birmingham
Grandview Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.5 mi away · Birmingham
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 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.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hoover
Hoover's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 62.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
62.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Hoover (within 15 miles)
University of Alabama at Birmingham
9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,635 students · in-state tuition $9,812 · 58% graduate · median earnings $59,631 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,206 students · in-state tuition $41,910 · 78% graduate · median earnings $66,982 (10 yrs after entry)
Lawson State Community College
6.9 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 2,900 students · in-state tuition $5,215 · 26% graduate · median earnings $36,457 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 1,196 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 13% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 442 students · in-state tuition $13,820 · 42% graduate · median earnings $44,255 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, 10 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hoover
Hoover has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (10 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
10 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
55 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
68 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
77 mi awayTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
National Historic Site
91 mi awayTuskegee Institute National Historic Site
National Historic Site
92 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hoover
Hoover Public Library
200 Municipal Drive, Hoover
Cities Near Hoover
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hoover?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hoover FAQ
Is Hoover, Alabama affordable?⌄
Hoover's median rent is $1,457/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $109,253/year. Median home value is $412,200.
Is Hoover, Alabama safe?⌄
Hoover's violent crime rate was 66 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 1035 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hoover, Alabama?⌄
Hoover has an unemployment rate of 2.1%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hoover, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Hoover is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,457/month and median household income is $109,253/year. The median home value is $412,200. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hoover, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Hoover is 25 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