Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 9,117 residents · Shelby County, Alabama

Meadowbrook , Alabama

In Meadowbrook, a typical home is worth $423,700 and typical rent is $1,365 a month. Compared with all of Shelby County, typical household income is 45% higher, the typical home value is 30% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 7 points higher.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $423,700

    30% above the county

    102% above Alabama

    • Meadowbrook
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

  • Typical rent

    $1,365a month

    3% below the county

    36% above Alabama

    • Meadowbrook
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

  • Typical household income

    $141,862a year

    45% above the county

    122% above Alabama

    • Meadowbrook
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

  • Households that own their home

    89%

    7 points above the county

    18 points above Alabama

    • Meadowbrook
    • Shelby
    • Alabama

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

Meadowbrook 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 Meadowbrook apart

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

  1. Meadowbrook has the 2nd largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 101 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people (65%).

  2. Meadowbrook has the 3rd highest typical household income of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($141,862).

  3. Nearby, in Pelham, the typical home value is $299,800: 29% less than in Meadowbrook ($423,700).

  4. The typical home in Meadowbrook is worth $423,700, 30% more than in Shelby County as a whole ($326,100).

  5. 89% of households in Meadowbrook own their home, against 81% in Shelby County.

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

The homes here

Housing in Meadowbrook

What homes there are in Meadowbrook, 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 Meadowbrook, 8 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Shelby County.

Year built

Homes in Meadowbrook are older: the typical year built is 1987; in Shelby County, 1997.

Much as in Shelby County, 81% of homes in Meadowbrook have 3 bedrooms or more.

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

$2,067 a month

Shelby County: $1,734 a month

Without a mortgage

$593 a month

Shelby County: $556 a month

Owners with a mortgage

69%

Shelby County: 68%

Owning costs more in Meadowbrook: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,067 a month; in Shelby County, $1,734. Without one, $593.

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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Meadowbrook rose 42%; in Shelby County, it rose 54%.

The typical rent in Meadowbrook stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

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

MeasureMeadowbrookShelby 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 2.642.612.482.53
Drive alone 73%75%81%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Work from home 24%17%9%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Meadowbrook has 2.64 people on average, about the same as in Shelby County (2.61).

Working from home is more common in Meadowbrook: 24%, against 17% in Shelby County.

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 Meadowbrook?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Meadowbrook, worth $423,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 28% of the typical household income in Meadowbrook, which is $141,862 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $142,132 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 Meadowbrook. 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 $14,830 (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

$3,316

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$416,025
Total interest
$598,563
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,155 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $3,310 a month

  • Tight

    $3,310 to $4,256 a month

    Your payment · 28%

  • Hard

    more than $4,256 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Meadowbrook ($141,862 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,316
Principal & interest$2,818
Property tax$134
Home insurance$177
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$187

You need at least $14,830 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

Meadowbrook and Shelby County

Meadowbrook 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).

Meadowbrook's own numbers

Typical home value
$423,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,365
Typical yearly household income
$141,862
Households that own their home
89%
Effective property tax rate
0.38%

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 Meadowbrook

A typical home in Meadowbrook is worth $423,700: 30% above the county and 102% above Alabama. With the typical household income in Meadowbrook ($141,862 a year), a typical home costs 3.0 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.

  • Meadowbrook 3.0 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

Meadowbrook 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
  • Meadowbrook $423,700
  • Shelby $326,100
  • Alabama $209,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Meadowbrook $1,365
  • Shelby $1,401
  • Alabama $1,007
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Meadowbrook $141,862
  • Shelby $97,961
  • Alabama $63,999
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Meadowbrook next to Shelby County and Alabama
Measure Meadowbrook Shelby County Alabama U.S.
Typical home value $423,700 $326,100 $209,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,365 $1,401 $1,007 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $141,862 $97,961 $63,999 $80,734
Households that own their home 89% 81% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,593 $1,423 $788 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.38% 0.44% 0.38% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 65% 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 Meadowbrook

For a typical $423,700 home in Meadowbrook, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Meadowbrook's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,316a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,830
    Cash to close
    $27,541
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $187

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,239a month

    Down payment
    $21,185
    Cash to close
    $33,896
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $201

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,607a month

    Down payment
    $84,740
    Cash to close
    $97,451
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,999a month

    Down payment
    $63,555
    Cash to close
    $76,266
    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 Meadowbrook and for Shelby County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Meadowbrook

0.38%of the home’s value each year

$1,593 a year for the typical owner in Meadowbrook.

  • Meadowbrook 0.38%
  • 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 Meadowbrook

Typical rent in Meadowbrook is $1,365 a month: 3% below the county. In Meadowbrook, 65% 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 Meadowbrook

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Meadowbrook is in ZIP code 35242.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,680: $305 more than the fair market rent for Shelby County ($1,375).

  • 35242 $1,680$2,110

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Meadowbrook 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 Meadowbrook

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.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Meadowbrook

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Meadowbrook or Shelby County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Meadowbrook 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 Meadowbrook

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Meadowbrook, 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 · 9 miles away · Spanish

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

  • United Way of Central Alabama, Inc.

    3600 8th Ave S, Birmingham · 9 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 9 more
    (205) 458-8950

  • Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama

    200 6th Ave SW, Birmingham · 10 miles away · Spanish

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

All counseling agencies in Alabama

Help in Spanish near Meadowbrook

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 Meadowbrook

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

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Meadowbrook

Short answers with the numbers for Meadowbrook 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 Meadowbrook?

The typical home value in Meadowbrook is $423,700, 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 Meadowbrook?

Typical rent in Meadowbrook is $1,365 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 Meadowbrook?

Meadowbrook 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 Meadowbrook?

The typical homeowner in Meadowbrook pays $1,593 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.38% of the home’s value; in Shelby County, the rate is 0.44%.

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

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).