Jefferson County, Alabama Housing Market Prices
Jefferson County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 24% below the Alabama median$122,715
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Median rent 18% above the Alabama median Among the 5 most expensive counties in Alabama$1,193
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $122,715 | $160,474 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 4.2% | 6.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,193 | $1,007 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.8% | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Jefferson County is about 24% lower than in Alabama. Rent is about 18% higher than the Alabama average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Jefferson County, up about 4.2% and 4.8% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Jefferson County rose about 47.2% between 2015 and 2024, from $810 to $1,193. Over the same span, rent in Alabama rose about 40.5%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 1.8 yearly household incomes in Jefferson County.
Buying the median-priced home in Jefferson County costs roughly 8.6 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 Jefferson County. The price-to-rent ratio in Alabama is about 13.3.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $122,715 | $160,474 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $66,976 | $64,544 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Jefferson County rose about 32.0%, while median household income rose about 46.4% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Jefferson County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 55.5% | 60.0% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 31.3% | 25.5% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 13.2% | 14.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2010 | 2011 |
Jefferson County has a homeownership rate of 55.5%, lower than the Alabama average of 60.0%. Its housing vacancy rate is 13.2%, compared with 14.5% in Alabama.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Jefferson County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.39 people | 2.48 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1976 | 1985 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Jefferson County was built around 1976. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.8 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Jefferson County, AL Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, AL is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 666,272 residents against a local median of 77,694. Where Jefferson County, AL breaks from the counties next to it is median rent, sitting 42% above the local median of $842 at $1,193.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $122,715 against a local median of $154,569, 21% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 19% below the local median it puts Jefferson County, AL at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $644 on median rent, so Jefferson County, AL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jefferson County, AL has the 2nd highest median rent of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, AL | 666,272 | $122,715 #4/5 | $1,193 #2/5 | 63.9% #5/5 |
| Shelby County, AL | 230,211 | $260,238 | $1,400 | 81.4% |
| Walker County, AL | 64,822 | $161,951 | $756 | 76.1% |
| Blount County, AL | 59,518 | $76,817 | $775 | 81.0% |
| Cullman County, AL | 90,566 | $147,187 | $908 | 76.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Jefferson County, Alabama.
What is the median home price in Jefferson County, Alabama?
The median home price in Jefferson County, Alabama is $122,715, lower than the Alabama average of $160,474.
What is the average home price in Jefferson County, Alabama?
The typical home price in Jefferson County, Alabama, reported as the median sale price, is $122,715. 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 Jefferson County, Alabama?
The median gross rent in Jefferson County, Alabama is $1,193 per month, higher than the Alabama average of $1,007.
What was the median gross rent in Jefferson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Jefferson County, Alabama was $934 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Jefferson County, Alabama?
The price-to-rent ratio in Jefferson County, Alabama is about 8.6, meaning it would take roughly 8.6 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 Jefferson County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Jefferson County, Alabama?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Jefferson County, up about 4.2% and 4.8% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Jefferson County, Alabama?
55.5% of households in Jefferson County, Alabama own their home, lower than the Alabama average of 60.0%.
What is the vacancy rate in Jefferson County, Alabama?
The housing vacancy rate in Jefferson County, Alabama is 13.2%, lower than the Alabama average of 14.5%.
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