Helena receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Irondale
Helena
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 32%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Irondale | Helena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,464 | 21,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,343 | $115,139 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,131 | $52,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 778/sq mi | 975/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $255,800 | $330,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,320 | $1,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.1% | 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 | 42.3% | 51.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 291 | 53 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 21.6 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2545.5% | -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 | 6 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.96 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.2% | 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
Irondale
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Helena
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Irondale, AL · Helena, AL · How this is calculated: methodology