Population 28,065 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alabaster
Household size in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.85 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.72 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.72 people per household, Alabaster sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Birmingham area as a whole, where it has 2.57 people. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.4 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.6 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Alabaster is 38.1 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 36.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Alabaster as they are nationally: 11.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alabaster
Renters in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.2% of households in Alabaster rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a quarter of owners (26.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Alabaster: 6.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.2 points, as it has nationally. Of the 186 Alabama cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Alabaster has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1993, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1990 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $895 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $985 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,106 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,475 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$580 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Alabaster pays $1,475 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the wider Birmingham area ($1,238). Rents are up $580 a month from 2006–10, a 65% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 32.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alabaster
Bachelor's degrees in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.5% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.0% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.7% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Alabaster (37.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.6% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Alabaster is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Alabaster has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Alabama cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alabaster
| Period | Alabaster | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Alabaster runs below the national rate: 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alabaster compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabaster | 2.72 | 38.1 | 11.2% | 16.2% | 6.1% | 1993 | $1,475 | 37.7% | 93.1% | 3.9% |
| Maylene | 3.08 | 39.1 | 10.4% | 7.0% | 2.7% | 2002 | $1,275 | 42.5% | 96.2% | 1.6% |
| Ryan | 2.51 | 44.5 | 4.2% | 7.3% | 5.9% | 1999 | $1,751 | 41.9% | 94.4% | 6.2% |
| Helena | 2.91 | 38.3 | 6.8% | 7.5% | 8.6% | 2003 | $1,920 | 54.8% | 97.5% | 2.3% |
| Pelham | 2.58 | 40.9 | 11.2% | 17.7% | 4.8% | 1996 | $1,370 | 45.4% | 94.8% | 2.2% |
| Dargin | 3.08 | 33.3 | 11.0% | 22.7% | 17.7% | 1994 | $1,035 | 28.7% | 81.4% | 4.4% |
| Saginaw | 2.94 | 32.5 | 11.0% | 31.3% | 17.6% | 1995 | $957 | 26.8% | 81.8% | 6.3% |
| Siluria | 2.68 | 41.8 | 10.0% | 10.0% | 5.0% | 2008 | $923 | 45.2% | 95.0% | 6.9% |
| Montevallo | 2.42 | 35.4 | 11.8% | 28.1% | 6.4% | 1993 | $1,109 | 31.1% | 89.1% | 5.5% |
| Calera | 2.71 | 34.7 | 12.5% | 20.9% | 7.1% | 2002 | $1,553 | 32.9% | 90.5% | 2.0% |
| Marvel | 2.90 | 43.8 | 3.9% | 9.6% | 15.1% | 1998 | $871 | 10.8% | 86.8% | 2.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pacific Palisades, CA · Plum, PA · Patterson, CA · South Laurel, MD · Brawley, CA · Bloomsburg, PA · Jeffersontown, KY · Monroeville, PA · Harvest, AL · Powell, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alabaster. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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