Helena

Population: 21,452
Median household income: $109,590
Median home value: $292,700

Helena, a community in Shelby County, Alabama, has 21,452 residents. At $109,590, its median household income sits above Shelby County's $93,543.

Between 2019 and 2023, Helena's population grew 16.2% from 18,463 to 21,452, while its median home value rose 50.0% from $195,100 to $292,700.

White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 71.1% of the population. 75.3% of workers drive to work alone.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 21,452
Median age: 37.5 yrs
Median household income: $109,590
Median home value: $292,700
Median gross rent: $1,420
Housing units: 7,980
Homeownership rate: 91.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 48.2%
Unemployment rate: 2.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

18,46321,452

Median household income

$87,781$109,590

Median home value

$195,100$292,700

Median gross rent

$1,341$1,420

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	18,463	$87,781	$195,100	$1,341
2020	18,631	$89,982	$203,100	$1,201
2021	20,680	$96,173	$227,800	$1,101
2022	21,036	$107,360	$275,600	$1,287
2023	21,452	$109,590	$292,700	$1,420

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.4%

5 to 1721.3%

18 to 246.3%

25 to 3413.3%

35 to 4413.3%

45 to 5416.7%

55 to 649.4%

65 to 7410.0%

75 and over3.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,373	6.4%
5 to 17	4,568	21.3%
18 to 24	1,353	6.3%
25 to 34	2,845	13.3%
35 to 44	2,849	13.3%
45 to 54	3,584	16.7%
55 to 64	2,024	9.4%
65 to 74	2,149	10.0%
75 and over	707	3.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	15,243	71.1%
Black or African American	3,806	17.7%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0	0.0%
Asian	278	1.3%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	260	1.2%
Two or more races	892	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	973	4.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma2.9%

High school graduate17.5%

Some college or associate's31.5%

Bachelor's degree31.9%

Graduate or professional degree16.3%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	405	2.9%
High school graduate	2,471	17.5%
Some college or associate's	4,454	31.5%
Bachelor's degree	4,521	31.9%
Graduate or professional degree	2,307	16.3%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 31 min

Drove alone75.3%

Carpooled6.9%

Public transit0.0%

Walked0.5%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home16.6%

Other means0.7%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	8,327	75.3%
Carpooled	760	6.9%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	53	0.5%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	1,840	16.6%
Other means	77	0.7%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,517	16.5%
15 to 29 min	2,236	24.3%
30 to 44 min	3,071	33.3%
45 to 59 min	1,759	19.1%
60+ min	634	6.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.84
Poverty rate: 3.7% (796 of 21,385)

	Count	Share
Family households	5,667	75.1%
Nonfamily households	1,876	24.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 2000

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	7,543	94.5%
Vacant	437	5.5%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	6,872	91.1%
Renter-occupied	671	8.9%

1-unit, detached93.7%

1-unit, attached2.9%

2 to 4 units0.3%

5 to 19 units0.8%

20 or more units1.5%

Mobile home & other0.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	7,480	93.7%
1-unit, attached	235	2.9%
2 to 4 units	26	0.3%
5 to 19 units	67	0.8%
20 or more units	123	1.5%
Mobile home & other	49	0.6%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0134024
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 22 sq mi
Water area: 0.32 sq mi
Center point: 33.2834, -86.8792