Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $293,292 | $158,589 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 7.4% | 7.1% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,634 | $962 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.3% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Helena is about 85% higher than in Alabama. Rent is about 70% higher than the Alabama average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Helena, up about 7.4% and 5.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Helena rose about 32.6% between 2015 and 2023, from $1,232 to $1,634. Over the same span, rent in Alabama rose about 34.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.7 yearly household incomes in Helena.
Buying the median-priced home in Helena costs roughly 15.0 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Helena. The price-to-rent ratio in Alabama is about 13.7.
| Metric | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $293,292 | $158,589 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $108,152 | $62,318 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.7 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Helena rose about 76.2%, while median household income rose about 49.7% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 87.4% | 59.5% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 8.2% | 25.6% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 4.4% | 15.0% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2010 | 2011 |
Helena has a homeownership rate of 87.4%, higher than the Alabama average of 59.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 4.4%, compared with 15.0% in Alabama.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.82 people | 2.50 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1999 | 1985 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.7 | 5.8 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Helena was built around 1999. On average, 2.8 people live in a home with about 6.7 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Helena, Alabama.
What is the median home price in Helena, Alabama?
The median home price in Helena, Alabama is $293,292, higher than the Alabama average of $158,589.
What is the average home price in Helena, Alabama?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Helena, Alabama?
The median gross rent in Helena, Alabama is $1,634 per month, higher than the Alabama average of $962.
What was the median gross rent in Helena in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Helena, Alabama was $1,288 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Helena, Alabama?
The price-to-rent ratio in Helena, Alabama is about 15.0, meaning it would take roughly 15.0 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Helena.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Helena, Alabama?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Helena, up about 7.4% and 5.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Helena, Alabama?
87.4% of households in Helena, Alabama own their home, higher than the Alabama average of 59.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Helena, Alabama?
The housing vacancy rate in Helena, Alabama is 4.4%, lower than the Alabama average of 15.0%.