Alabaster receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Alabaster
Hueytown
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs60 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Alabaster | Hueytown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,917 | 16,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,357 | $62,784 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,642 | $27,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,292/sq mi | 820/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $261,700 | $155,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.1% | 82.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.1% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 87 | 24 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.4% | -11.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.15 | 17.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.9% | 58.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Alabaster
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Hueytown
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Alabaster, AL · Hueytown, AL · How this is calculated: methodology