Helena receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gardendale
Helena
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
53 · Top 46%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 49%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Gardendale | Helena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,534 | 21,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,192 | $115,139 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,246 | $52,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 719/sq mi | 975/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $252,600 | $330,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,299 | $1,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 91.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 51.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 53 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.6% | -5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.6" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.33 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.2% | 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
Gardendale
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Helena
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Gardendale
72
Your Score
68
Area Score
Helena
75
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Gardendale, AL · Helena, AL · How this is calculated: methodology