Cost of living in Helena research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Helena is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alabama, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Helena is 104, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Helena is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Helena ranks as the #101 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Helena ranks as the #3,063 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Helena is $352,986.
The median income in Helena is $109,590.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Helena has an overall cost of living index of 104, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Helena has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Helena ranks as #101 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Helena ranks as the #18 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Helena, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Helena. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Helena is 100.
The Groceries index in Helena is 99.
The Health index in Helena is 92.
The Housing index in Helena is 115.
The Transportation index in Helena is 90.
The Utilities index in Helena is 106.
| Living Expense | Helena | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 104 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 115 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 102 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alabama, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Helena is $352,986.
The Median Rent in Helena is $1,420.
The Median Income in Helena is $109,590.
The Home Value To Income in Helena is 3.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Helena is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Helena. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Birmingham, AL has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Helena.
Hoover, AL has a cost of living index of 111, 1.1x Helena.
Alabaster, AL has a cost of living index of 97, 0.9x Helena.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Helena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Hoover, AL | 92,401 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Alabaster, AL | 33,633 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Homewood, AL | 27,697 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Bessemer, AL | 25,655 | 88 | 0.8x |
| Pelham, AL | 24,510 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Calera, AL | 17,188 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Hueytown, AL | 16,541 | 91 | 0.9x |
| Chelsea, AL | 15,731 | 109 | 1.0x |
| Fairfield, AL | 9,846 | 89 | 0.9x |