Mountain Brook, AL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Alabama·Mountain Brook

Jefferson County · Birmingham-Hoover · population 21,701

ShrinkingSmall-town feel
View watchlist →
69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Mountain Brook stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.2% in the last year. population shrinking 0.9% per year.

Median home $1,041,426
1-year +6.2%
5-yr CAGR +6.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$1041k$562k$736k$909k$1083k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
50/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

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 vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 41.5
Rent

At a 41.5 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Mountain Brook for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
79 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
71 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
32 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
65 · w10%
Long thesis

Mountain Brook has held up across the cycle: home values at $1,041,426 with +6.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Mountain Brook's population is shrinking 0.9% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Mountain Brook

Mountain Brook is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, with an estimated population of 21,701. It anchors the Birmingham-Hoover metro area. The population has contracted 0.9% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Mountain Brook is $1,041,426 as of 2026-04, up 6.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Mountain Brook average $2,091 per month. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Trend still working: prices up 6.2% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Flat or shrinking population: -0.9% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
Premium territory: $1,041,426 median home is a high bar to clear — affordability constrains the buyer pool.

Playbook

Buyer

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.

Seller

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.

Investor

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 Jefferson County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Jefferson County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Mountain Brook

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
56° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
215
~59% of year
Annual precip
58″ rain
1″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

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

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Mountain Brook listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

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
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$56,900
Alabama state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareRetail

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.

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