Sybyl temple, 2012
Vestavia Hills’s story
76 years in pictures
Census counts: 4,029 in 1960, 39,102 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 4 maps from 1905 on.
- 1950Vestavia Hills is settled
Vestavia HillsAL
Public schools that outperform most of Alabama. With 38,306 residents, this town was settled in 1950.
Trash day: look up yours5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Sharon Phelan Evans · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
38,306
2025 Census estimate · −2.4% since 2020
Typical home
$564K
+4.1% in a year
Household income
$134K
median
Median age
41.7
years
Jobs based here
18,975
Balanced
TownGrade
A
#10 of 187 in AL
Is Vestavia Hills a good place to live?
The everyday basics are strong; the price of a home is the catch. Schools are its strong suit (A+). Vestavia Hills grades A overall, better than 89% of U.S. towns, and ranks 10th of 187 in Alabama. It also does well on health (A) — residents are healthier than 92% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. What counts against it is cost of living (D): the typical home is worth about $564K, 7.9 years of the Birmingham metro’s $71K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than nearly two thirds of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. The biggest place to walk is Altadena Valley Park, 68 acres with 2.4 miles of trail. On safety, just 13 of Alabama’s 186 towns do better.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · FBI crime data, 2025 · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Vestavia Hills stand out
Where Vestavia Hills beats most towns.
Vestavia Hills City schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Vestavia Hills Elementary East | PK–5 | 771 |
| Vestavia Hills Elementary West | K–5 | 691 |
| Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge | K–5 | 657 |
SchoolsA+
Beats 99% of AL districts
#1 of the 187 Alabama towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Library visits per resident
Vestavia Hills8.6
Typical U.S. town3.4
Typical AL town2.4
Civic lifeA−
3.5 times the library visits per person
than the typical Alabama town
IMLS Public Libraries Survey.
A growing town
Vestavia Hills has grown 12% since 2010
34,033 counted in 2010 and 39,102 in 2020; an estimated 38,306 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 2.4%, after 14.9% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Vestavia Hills grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Vestavia Hills is from typical.
SchoolsIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA+Open →HealthBaptist Health Brookwood Hospital 2.4 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentAOpen →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →SafetyBetter than most of the towns comparedA−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9 of 20; 3.3% of households have no car; 1.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →History2 notable people born hereD−Open →Civic life8.6 library visits per resident; 4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Housing market41 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.7; 65% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 30 attractions →Legion Field and 20 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Vestavia Hills. Close and well known come first.
6 mi Stadium & arenaLegion Field
7 mi Stadium & arenaProtective Stadium
6 mi MuseumSloss Furnaces
7 mi Stadium & arenaLegacy Arena40 mi LakeLewis Smith Lake
7 mi Stadium & arenaBirmingham–Jefferson Convention ComplexSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Legion Field: USGS, Public domain · Protective Stadium: Unknown, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sloss Furnaces: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Legacy Arena: AuburnShuffle, CC0 · Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex: Chris Pruitt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Vestavia Hills: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Vestavia Hills, and how to reach them.
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCentral Alabama Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereJefferson - Bessemer County Circuit ClerkJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP codes35216, 35243, 35242, 3522635216 43% · 35243 32% · 35242 14% · 35226 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Vestavia Hills.
Vestavia Hills has schools in the top 5% of Alabama, fares better on crime within Alabama than nationally and has less tooth loss than most of Alabama.
HousingCost of living grade D
Vestavia Hills’ grade for cost of living is a D
At 7.9 years of the Birmingham metro’s $71K median household income, the typical home (about $564K) costs more against local pay than in 97% of Alabama towns; that ratio is one input to that grade. The median property tax bill is $4,105, against $788 across Alabama, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
On the market in Vestavia Hills: a median 41 days to sell. In Vestavia Hills, the midpoint rent is $1,515 a month, above both Alabama’s towns ($940 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 78% of households own their home in the town. A typical home in the town is worth about $564,000, up 4.1% in a year, more than twice the Alabama typical home.
$564KZillow home value
| Vestavia Hills | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,515 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Vestavia Hills$564K
Alabama$239K
Market temperature
41
days on market
100.2%
sale-to-list price
+4.1%
value change, 1 year
58
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA+
Vestavia Hills’s public schools rank among the best in Alabama
Its A+ ranks #1 of the 187 Alabama towns we grade for schools. Its A+ for schools comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $564K.
Its public schools are run by the Vestavia Hills City school district. Of its 10 schools, three are listed below, each with the reason. The 5 public schools in Vestavia Hills teach 3,116 students between them.
99%of AL districts it outscoresA+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizitz Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,131 | A+ |
| Vestavia Hills High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 10–12 | Grades 10–12 | 1,625 | A+ |
| Vestavia Hills Elementary EastTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 771 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
HealthA
A smaller share of adults in Vestavia Hills sleep under 7 hours than in the typical Alabama or U.S. town
Its widest gap with Alabama is tooth loss: 5.2% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 15.4% statewide. Against the 4,109 U.S. towns with household incomes like Vestavia Hills’s, it is healthier than 75%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
The share of adults in Vestavia Hills who get no exercise outside work: 20%. Among 187 Alabama towns, just 8 have a lower share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Vestavia Hills. In Vestavia Hills, 10% of adults report frequent physical distress, and 14% report frequent mental distress. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Vestavia Hills is ahead of Alabama on 25 and behind on 2.
92%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Vestavia Hills | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 40% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 39% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
25 better5 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Vestavia Hills | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.2% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.1% | 19.2% |
| More binge drinkers | 17% | 14.1% |
Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital
2.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
97th
percentile among AL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC
1.2% of Vestavia Hills is conserved land
Count the trails in 6 parks and preserves and they come to 4.6 miles. Vestavia Hills’ density of trails comes in at 0.2 miles per square mile.
#59for trails in AL
| Vestavia Hills | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.2% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
1.2%
conserved · 151 of 12,973 acres
4.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Altadena Valley Park | 2.4 mi | 68 |
| 2. Wald Park | 0.1 mi | 26 |
| 3. Byrd Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SafetyA−
Less crime per resident in Vestavia Hills than in 75% of U.S. towns
At 9.9 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 95% of Alabama’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 353 to 239 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
In Vestavia Hills, the property crime rate is 5.6 per 1,000 residents, against 17 in Alabama’s towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns. The level of violent crime here is 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
75%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Vestavia Hills | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.6 per 1,000 residents | 17 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Vestavia Hills0.7
Alabama3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Vestavia Hills5.6
Alabama15
U.S.15.5
75th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
95th
percentile among AL towns
26
violent crimes reported in 2025
213
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Vestavia Hills, expect mild winters and hot summers
For Vestavia Hills, the peak summer temperature is 90°F.
90°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–57°
Spring50–74°
Summer68–89°
Fall51–75°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 21
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Natural hazards: high risk in Vestavia Hills, mostly inland flooding
69 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 16 properties have flooded more than once.
Vestavia Hills has had 69 paid flood insurance claims since 1980. Expected losses in Vestavia Hills break down as 61% from inland flooding and 18% from tornadoes. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2021.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
69
paid flood claims since 1980
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
About one in three of Vestavia Hills’ working residents commute to Birmingham
Vestavia Hills has about as many jobs (18,975) as working residents, but only 1,443 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 19.3 minutes, against 25.5 across Alabama.
Vestavia Hills had 18,975 jobs in 2023, up 4,704 from 2013. Just nearly a tenth of the town’s working residents have a job in town. For Vestavia Hills, the median household income is $134,000. Half of commuters travel less than 6 miles.
9%work in town
| Vestavia Hills | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $134,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 18% | 6.7% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 16% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Vestavia Hills9%
Birmingham37%
Hoover10%
Homewood10%
Mountain Brook3%
6 mi
median commute distance
18,975
jobs based in Vestavia Hills
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Vestavia Hills
20pages on Vestavia Hills
The big questions
SchoolsA+Beat 99% of AL districts · 10 schoolsSafetyA−0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than AL on 25 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$564K typical home · up 4.1% in a yearWork & commuteA$134K median household income · 18,975 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 66% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Vestavia Hills
Samford UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Birmingham2.2 mi$40,150 tuitionUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity or college · Public · Birmingham5.1 mi$9,098 in-state tuitionLawson State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Birmingham5.7 mi$5,040 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Vestavia Hills residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
About Vestavia Hills
City in Alabama, United States
Vestavia Hills, colloquially known simply as Vestavia, is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties, Alabama, United States. The population was 39,102 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 38,306 in 2025, making it is the third-largest city in Jefferson County, after Birmingham and Hoover, and making it is the fourteenth-largest city in Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham and it is made up of Vestavia, Liberty Park, and Cahaba Heights.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1950
- Area
- 20 sq mi
- Elevation
- 951 ft
- Area code
- 205
Vestavia Hills’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Vestavia Hills.
Irondale next door grades lower for schools (C to Vestavia Hills’s A+) and higher for cost of living (C+ to D).
Mountain BrookHooverBirminghamIrondaleHomewoodVestavia Hills
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vestavia Hills | #10 | A | D | A− | A+ | A |
| Mountain Brook | #6 | A | D | A− | A+ | A+ |
| Hoover | #19 | A− | C− | B | A+ | A |
| Birmingham | #164 | D− | B | D− | D | D |
| Irondale | #105 | C− | C+ | C | C | B+ |
| Homewood | #36 | B+ | D | C | A+ | A |
Questions about Vestavia Hills
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Vestavia Hills, AL a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Vestavia Hills grades A overall, better than 89% of U.S. towns and #10 of 187 in Alabama. It grades A for health, A− for safety and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Vestavia Hills, AL expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Vestavia Hills, AL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Michael Papajohn and Floyd Franks.