City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Vestavia Hills, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Vestavia Hills - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

38,704
Residents
$129,171
Median income
$494,500
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Vestavia Hills - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Vestavia Hills places in the 90th percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

90th
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
75th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Vestavia Hills, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 38,704 residents in Vestavia Hills, a small city within Alabama. Median household income here is $129,171 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.4%. Home values in Vestavia Hills run a median of $494,500, and the median resident age is 42.0 years. Educational attainment runs 62.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 102 residential building permits were authorized in Vestavia Hills (Growing), up 13% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Vestavia Hills reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 727.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: the state registers 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,266 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

38,704 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$129,171 /yr

Poverty 2.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Vestavia Hills compare to other US cities?

Here's how Vestavia Hills stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alabama alone, Vestavia Hills ranks #34 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Vestavia Hills's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

90thIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Vestavia Hills's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Vestavia Hills's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 67 Avg. percentile National median
Vestavia Hills's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Vestavia Hills's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$494,500 15th percentile more affordable than 15% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Vestavia Hills $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Vestavia Hills, AL Vestavia Hills, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Vestavia Hills, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Vestavia Hills, AL median $129,171/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Vestavia Hills, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Vestavia Hills, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 62.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
38,704
Median Income
$129,171
Median Home Value
$494,500
Median Age
42.0
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Labor force participation
59.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
62.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
727.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
82.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
645.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
38,000 residents38,500 residents39,000 residents39,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 39,210 residents 38,306 residents ▼ -2.3%
Vestavia Hills's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
102
housing units authorized
Single-Family
102
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 90
2020 112
2021 34
2022 66
2023 108
2024 102

Permit volume increased 13% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.3%
Carpool
6.1%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
15.6%
Other
0.8%

Based on 17,891 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Vestavia Hills sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Prattville
38,850 people
Phenix City
38,477 people
Florence
41,231 people
Alabaster
33,633 people
Gadsden
33,617 people
Opelika
31,944 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Vestavia Hills's 38,704 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bell Gardens, CA
38,661 people
Security-Widefield, CO
38,659 people
Clinton, MD
38,756 people
Braintree, MA
38,762 people
San Gabriel, CA
38,764 people
Stanton, CA
38,639 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Vestavia Hills's $129,171 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Columbia, MD
$129,173 median income
Mingoville, PA
$129,167 median income
Meadow Glade, WA
$129,167 median income
Tysons, VA
$129,189 median income
Norene, TN
$129,138 median income
Allen, TX
$129,130 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Vestavia Hills, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Vestavia Hills, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 84.1% Black or African American 5.8% Asian 5.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 3.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Vestavia Hills compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Vestavia Hills (this city) 38,704 $129,171
Prattville 38,850 $79,396
Phenix City 38,477 $49,715
Florence 41,231 $50,396
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Vestavia Hills, AL?

What is the population of Vestavia Hills, AL? +

38,704 people live in Vestavia Hills, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Vestavia Hills, AL? +

Median annual household income in Vestavia Hills runs $129,171, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Vestavia Hills? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Vestavia Hills; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Vestavia Hills, AL safe? +

Vestavia Hills has a total crime rate of 727.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Vestavia Hills, AL? +

The median home value in Vestavia Hills is $494,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.