Population 3,158 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Steele
Household size in Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.98 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.52 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Steele are large by national standards, averaging 2.98 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.45, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.0 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Steele is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.1, against 40.1 nationally.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Steele: 15.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Steele
Renters in Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.4% of households in Steele rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 56.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.9% of the housing in Steele, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Steele is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $660 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $635 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $743 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $844 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$183 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in Steele runs $844 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 33.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Steele
Bachelor's degrees in Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Steele: 12.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.1% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.5% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +16.0 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Steele is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%.
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 Steele
| Period | Steele | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Steele than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. That is in line with the rest of the Birmingham area. 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).
Steele 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steele | 2.98 | 38.1 | 15.0% | 14.4% | 15.9% | 1988 | $844 | 12.3% | 93.7% | 4.4% |
| Whitney | 3.18 | 35.8 | 16.9% | 14.8% | 12.9% | 1991 | $872 | 11.9% | 95.6% | 4.3% |
| Gallant | 2.44 | 49.9 | 6.7% | 4.5% | 13.8% | 1978 | $687 | 15.8% | 85.3% | 2.2% |
| Ashville | 2.62 | 47.2 | 11.3% | 13.0% | 15.6% | 1991 | $700 | 10.8% | 86.0% | 3.5% |
| Pinedale Shores | 2.90 | 45.7 | 8.1% | 3.7% | 20.6% | 1988 | $696 | 11.7% | 94.6% | 5.1% |
| Straight Mountain | 3.02 | 49.1 | 2.7% | 36.7% | 19.2% | 1986 | $865 | 6.3% | 84.8% | 7.4% |
| Curtiston | 2.25 | 51.7 | 9.0% | 11.6% | 5.7% | 1967 | $734 | 11.1% | 86.6% | 3.8% |
| Taits Gap | 2.21 | 53.8 | 6.6% | 18.2% | 17.7% | 1985 | $638 | 15.1% | 89.8% | 23.0% |
| Rainbow City | 2.47 | 42.8 | 14.5% | 32.2% | 12.9% | 1988 | $1,075 | 23.9% | 84.0% | 6.5% |
| Harrisville | 2.64 | 43.8 | 5.9% | 13.2% | 19.5% | 1982 | $547 | 14.7% | 83.6% | 4.0% |
| Highland Lake | 2.49 | 58.3 | 6.0% | 8.5% | 27.1% | 1978 | $585 | 30.2% | 84.5% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Argos, IN · Defiance, MO · Deerfield, NH · Claysburg, PA · Cathlamet, WA · Casco, MI · Beresford, SD · Bellaire, MI · Beggs, OK · Willacoochee, GA
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 Steele. 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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