Helena, AL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Helena, AL Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
104
Helena's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Helena, AL?

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:

101 out of 119
In Alabama
3,063 out of 6,489
In America

Helena Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama

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
For more reading on cost of living around Alabama, check out:
Helena Cost of Living Vs. AL

Helena, AL Housing Cost Breakdown

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.

Statistic Helena Alabama United States
Median Home Value $352,986 $232,780 $303,400
Median Rent $1,420 $963 $1,348
Median Income $109,590 $62,027 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.19x 0.21x
$352,986
Median Home Value
$1,420
Median Rent
$109,590
Median Income

Helena, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Helena Services Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $12.54 $12.13
Bowling $16.37 $18
Haircut $20.07 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.74 $45.56

Detailed Helena Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Ground Beef $6.01 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.66 $1.57
Milk $4.54 $4.67
Potatoes $5.23 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $10.4 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Helena Health Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Optometrist $92.33 $125.68
Doctor $101.83 $135.78
Dentist $125.78 $113.29

Detailed Helena Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Gasoline $3.13 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.52 $59.92

Detailed Helena Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
All Electricity $219.4 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

Helena SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Helena

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

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