Shelby County · Birmingham-Hoover · population 34,460
Where Alabaster stands
At or near all-time high.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 14.2 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Alabaster on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 14.2 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Alabaster has held up across the cycle: home values at $303,525 with +4.6% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Alabaster's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.
About Alabaster
Alabaster is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, with an estimated population of 34,460. It anchors the Birmingham-Hoover metro area. The population grew 0.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Alabaster is $303,525 as of 2026-04, up 3.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Alabaster average $1,779 per month, up 3.7% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Alabaster (Wikipedia)
Alabaster is a city and southern suburb of Birmingham in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 33,284. Alabaster is the 16th largest city in Alabama by number of residents.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Shelby County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Shelby County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Alabaster
Run the numbers for Alabaster
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Alabaster listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Alabaster City Schools now offering free breakfastShelby County Reporter · 1d ago
- Nationally known coffee chain opens first Birmingham area locationAL.com · 1w ago
- ‘It’s despicable’: Alabaster Police arrest man for burglarizing homes of people who diedWBRC · 6mo ago
- ALEA identifies man shot in Alabaster officer-involved shootingWBMA · 2mo ago
- Alabaster storage facility among new high-dollar building permitsBham Now · 2mo ago
- Monthly Weather Forecast for Alabaster, Alabama 35007The Weather Channel · 7mo ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Birmingham-Hoover area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Alabaster
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.