Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Alabama? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Montgomery, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Alabama suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Heart Of Dixie
Mountain Brook is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Alabama.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in Alabama, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in Alabama and the best places to raise a family in Alabama.
Best Suburbs In Alabama For 2025
/10
Population: 22,160
Median Income: $191,128
Average Home Price: $891,300
More on Mountain Brook: Data
Mountain Brook is located 4 miles east of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 38,704
Median Income: $129,171
Average Home Price: $494,500
More on Vestavia Hills: Data
Vestavia Hills is located 5 miles south of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 58,335
Median Income: $131,436
Average Home Price: $367,900
More on Madison: Data
Madison is located 5 miles west of Huntsville.
/10
Population: 27,697
Median Income: $108,386
Average Home Price: $502,300
More on Homewood: Data
Homewood is located 4 miles south of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 92,401
Median Income: $107,822
Average Home Price: $391,300
More on Hoover: Data
Hoover is located 10 miles south of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 26,182
Median Income: $120,794
Average Home Price: $351,500
More on Trussville: Data
Trussville is located 16 miles east of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 21,452
Median Income: $109,590
Average Home Price: $292,700
More on Helena: Data
Helena is located 17 miles south of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 15,731
Median Income: $110,056
Average Home Price: $339,400
More on Chelsea: Data
Chelsea is located 16 miles south of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 24,510
Median Income: $91,904
Average Home Price: $278,900
More on Pelham: Data
Pelham is located 14 miles south of Birmingham.
/10
Population: 33,633
Median Income: $90,163
Average Home Price: $242,600
More on Alabaster: Data
Alabaster is located 21 miles south of Birmingham.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Heart Of Dixie
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Alabama. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Alabama, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Alabama across these criteria from one to 34, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Alabama.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Alabama.
Read on to see why Mountain Brook is the ‘burb with the most, while Bessemer is probably not the best place to live in Alabama.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Alabama
If you’re measuring the locations in Alabama where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Alabama are Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Madison, Homewood, Hoover, Trussville, Helena, Chelsea, Pelham, and Alabaster.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Alabama according to the data:
- Bessemer
- Tarrant
- Lanett
For more Alabama reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Alabama
- Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama
- Most Dangerous Cities In Alabama
- Richest Cities In Alabama
- Safest Places In Alabama
- Worst Places To Live In Alabama
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Alabama
The Best Suburbs In Alabama
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain Brook | 22,160 | $191,128 | $891,300 |
| 2 | Vestavia Hills | 38,704 | $129,171 | $494,500 |
| 3 | Madison | 58,335 | $131,436 | $367,900 |
| 4 | Homewood | 27,697 | $108,386 | $502,300 |
| 5 | Hoover | 92,401 | $107,822 | $391,300 |
| 6 | Trussville | 26,182 | $120,794 | $351,500 |
| 7 | Helena | 21,452 | $109,590 | $292,700 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 15,731 | $110,056 | $339,400 |
| 9 | Pelham | 24,510 | $91,904 | $278,900 |
| 10 | Alabaster | 33,633 | $90,163 | $242,600 |
| 11 | Calera | 17,188 | $82,441 | $214,200 |
| 12 | Gardendale | 16,110 | $81,215 | $234,900 |
| 13 | Hartselle | 15,586 | $67,863 | $192,200 |
| 14 | Pleasant Grove | 9,502 | $68,344 | $189,100 |
| 15 | Moody | 13,378 | $86,389 | $222,500 |
| 16 | Irondale | 13,462 | $71,240 | $250,000 |
| 17 | Margaret | 5,538 | $97,075 | $224,700 |
| 18 | Athens | 27,474 | $65,000 | $253,700 |
| 19 | Fultondale | 9,753 | $69,127 | $181,900 |
| 20 | Leeds | 12,221 | $71,672 | $220,400 |
| 21 | Clay | 10,288 | $86,163 | $198,400 |
| 22 | Montevallo | 7,429 | $54,665 | $210,400 |
| 23 | Midfield | 5,101 | $51,776 | $93,700 |
| 24 | Decatur | 57,760 | $59,831 | $190,500 |
| 25 | Smiths Station | 5,443 | $57,410 | $184,400 |
| 26 | Valley | 10,406 | $55,422 | $130,500 |
| 27 | Fairfield | 9,846 | $48,492 | $120,100 |
| 28 | Arab | 8,573 | $60,985 | $196,700 |
| 29 | Pinson | 7,851 | $80,349 | $194,300 |
| 30 | Hueytown | 16,541 | $62,362 | $142,900 |
| 31 | Center Point | 16,125 | $52,401 | $130,200 |
| 32 | Lanett | 6,854 | $42,415 | $98,700 |
| 33 | Tarrant | 6,014 | $38,861 | $113,800 |
| 34 | Bessemer | 25,655 | $37,844 | $129,800 |