Vestavia Hills, AL

This city of 38,486 residents needs 378 more housing units over the next five years. Vestavia Hills is part of the Birmingham MPO.

Housing snapshot

Population
38,486 (2026)
Households
13,952
Median household income
$147,393 (2026)
Typical home value
$439,170
Owner-occupied
72%
Five-year housing need
378 units

Comparison to other Alabama municipalities

Vestavia Hills: $147,393 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$8K >$131K
Vestavia Hills: 1.35 jobs to household ratio
<0.04 >2.65
Vestavia Hills: Permits since 2021 represent 2.6% of housing
<0% >16.2%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Vestavia Hills, AL is valued at $439,170, well above the Alabama average of $183,532. Vestavia Hills, AL's median household income of $147,393 comfortably exceeds what is needed to afford the typical home, making this a relatively affordable market.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Vestavia Hills, AL has a population of roughly 38,616, growing modestly at 0.8% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

With roughly 13,952 households, Vestavia Hills, AL is growing modestly at 0.8% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

The housing stock in Vestavia Hills, AL is heavily oriented toward detached single-family, which makes up 72% of units. Vestavia Hills, AL is a strongly owner-occupied community, with 72% of households owning their home.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Vestavia Hills, AL needs 378 new units over the next 5 years.

81
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
0.6%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 13,952 in 2026 to 14,033 in 2031.
297
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
129
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.7 per 1,000 units.
165
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.0%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
3
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 7.3%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
378
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
76
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
2.5%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.5%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How does this place compare to similar communities?