Helena receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bessemer
Helena
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 3%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 33%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
21 · Bottom 2%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Bessemer | Helena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,400 | 21,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,613 | $115,139 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,797 | $52,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 625/sq mi | 975/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,900 | $330,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $961 | $1,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 91.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 51.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.9% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 53 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 31.0% | -5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.32 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 74.2% | 27.9% | 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
Bessemer
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Helena
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Bessemer, AL · Helena, AL · How this is calculated: methodology