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City · 21,769 residents · Shelby County, Alabama

Helena , Alabama

In Helena, a typical home is worth $330,700 and typical rent is $1,574 a month. Compared with all of Shelby County, typical household income is 18% higher, typical rent is 12% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 10 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $330,700

    About the same as the county

    58% above Alabama

    • Helena
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

  • Typical rent

    $1,574a month

    12% above the county

    56% above Alabama

    • Helena
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

  • Typical household income

    $115,139a year

    18% above the county

    80% above Alabama

    • Helena
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

  • Households that own their home

    91%

    10 points above the county

    21 points above Alabama

    • Helena
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$365,238
2.6% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,905 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Helena is in Shelby County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Shelby County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Helena apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Bessemer, the typical home value is $135,900: 59% less than in Helena ($330,700).

  2. Nearby, in Bessemer, the typical rent is $961: 39% less than in Helena ($1,574).

  3. Helena has the 6th highest homeownership rate of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people (91%).

  4. The typical household income in Helena is $115,139, 18% more than in Shelby County as a whole ($97,961).

  5. Helena has the 8th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 101 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people (62%).

  6. Helena has the 10th highest typical rent of the 117 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($1,574).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Helena

What homes there are in Helena, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Helena, 9 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Shelby County, 8.

Year built

Here half of the homes date from 2001 or later; in Shelby County, from 1997 or later.

There is more room for a big family here: 91% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, against 81% in Shelby County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,803 a month

Shelby County: $1,734 a month

Without a mortgage

$513 a month

Shelby County: $556 a month

Owners with a mortgage

77%

Shelby County: 68%

In Helena, 77% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,803 a month, about the same as in Shelby County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Helena gained value faster than in Shelby County: 70% against 54%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Helena did not change clearly, according to the Census.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureHelenaShelby CountyAlabamaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.2%7.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.0%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.852.612.482.53
Drive alone 73%75%81%69%
Carpool 6%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Work from home 20%17%9%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Helena has 2.85 people, more than in Shelby County (2.61).

In Helena, 73% of workers drive alone to work; in Shelby County, 75%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Helena?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Helena, worth $330,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 27% of the typical household income in Helena, which is $115,139 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Shelby County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Helena. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $11,575 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,600

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$324,710
Total interest
$467,181
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,585 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,687 a month

    Your payment · 27%

  • Tight

    $2,687 to $3,454 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,454 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Helena ($115,139 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,600
Principal & interest$2,200
Property tax$116
Home insurance$138
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$146

You need at least $11,575 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Helena and Shelby County

Helena is in Shelby County, Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Helena's own numbers

Typical home value
$330,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,574
Typical yearly household income
$115,139
Households that own their home
91%
Effective property tax rate
0.42%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Shelby County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,375
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+48%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Shelby County.

Everything about Shelby County

Buying

Buying a home in Helena

A typical home in Helena is worth $330,700: about the same as the county and 58% above Alabama. With the typical household income in Helena ($115,139 a year), a typical home costs 2.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Helena 2.9 years
  • Shelby 3.3 years
  • Alabama 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Shelby County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Shelby County rose 83% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Shelby County.

Period County Alabama U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.0% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +48% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +83% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Helena next to Shelby County, Alabama and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Helena $330,700
  • Shelby $326,100
  • Alabama $209,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Helena $1,574
  • Shelby $1,401
  • Alabama $1,007
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Helena $115,139
  • Shelby $97,961
  • Alabama $63,999
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Helena next to Shelby County and Alabama
Measure Helena Shelby County Alabama U.S.
Typical home value $330,700 $326,100 $209,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,574 $1,401 $1,007 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $115,139 $97,961 $63,999 $80,734
Households that own their home 91% 81% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,383 $1,423 $788 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.42% 0.44% 0.38% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 62% 47% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Shelby County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Helena

For a typical $330,700 home in Helena, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Helena's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,600a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $11,575
    Cash to close
    $21,496
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $146

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,539a month

    Down payment
    $16,535
    Cash to close
    $26,456
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $157

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,046a month

    Down payment
    $66,140
    Cash to close
    $76,061
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,351a month

    Down payment
    $49,605
    Cash to close
    $59,526
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Helena and for Shelby County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Helena

0.42%of the home’s value each year

$1,383 a year for the typical owner in Helena.

  • Helena 0.42%
  • Shelby 0.44%
  • Alabama 0.38%

What Alabama publishes Basic homestead exemption (type H-1) (Alabama Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Alabama

Flood risk in Shelby County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Shelby County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.2%
944
Of those, with NFIP insurance
31%
County Alabama U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.2% 3.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 31% 29% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Helena

Typical rent in Helena is $1,574 a month: 12% above the county. In Helena, 62% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Shelby County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,375 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.44 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Shelby County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,177 $22.63 $47,080
1 bedroom $1,263 $24.29 $50,520
2 bedrooms $1,375 $26.44 $55,000
3 bedrooms $1,727 $33.21 $69,080
4 bedrooms $1,941 $37.33 $77,640

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Helena

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Helena is in ZIP code 35080.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,930: $555 more than the fair market rent for Shelby County ($1,375).

  • 35080 $1,930$2,420

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Helena when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Helena

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Shelby County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Helena

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Helena or Shelby County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Helena the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Alabama

  • Step Up

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority program with down payment assistance of 4% of the price (up to $10,000) as a 10-year second mortgage, alongside a 30-year fixed mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • First Step Mortgage Revenue Bonds

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority 30-year low-rate mortgage, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% of the price, up to $10,000, as a ten-year second mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • Affordable Income Subsidy Grant

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority grant for closing costs with an HFA Advantage conventional loan: 1% of the loan if you earn up to 50% of the area median, or half a percent if you earn 50% to 80%. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Helena

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Helena, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Birmingham, AL

    529 Beacon Pkwy W Ste 204, Birmingham · 14 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (205) 942-8111

  • Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama

    200 6th Ave SW, Birmingham · 15 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (205) 942-5505

  • Birmingham Urban League, Inc.

    1229 3rd Ave N, Birmingham · 16 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (205) 326-0162

All counseling agencies in Alabama

Help in Spanish near Helena

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Helena

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Shelby County is named for Helena or Shelby County.

4 other authorities have an office in Shelby County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Shelby County

These cities are also in Shelby County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Shelby County Housing in Alabama

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Helena, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Shelby County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Helena.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Helena

Short answers with the numbers for Helena and all of Shelby County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Helena?

The typical home value in Helena is $330,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Shelby County it is $326,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Helena?

Typical rent in Helena is $1,574 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Shelby County is $1,375.

What is the FHA loan limit in Helena?

Helena uses the FHA limit for all of Shelby County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Helena?

The typical homeowner in Helena pays $1,383 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.42% of the home’s value; in Shelby County, the rate is 0.44%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Helena?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Shelby County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).