Helena, AL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 102, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Helena is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Helena ranks as the #98 cheapest in Alabama out of 115.

  • Helena ranks as the #3,380 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Helena is $227,800.

  • The median income in Helena is $96,173.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
102
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 102, 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 88.

The standard of living in Helena ranks as #98 most affordable out of the 115 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Helena ranks as the #17 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.

For more reading on life in Helena, check out:

98 out of 115
In Alabama
3,380 out of 6,412
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 94.

  • The Health index in Helena is 93.

  • The Housing index in Helena is 109.

  • The Transportation index in Helena is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Helena is 100.

Living Expense Helena Alabama National Average
Overall 102 88 100
Services 100 95 100
Groceries 94 97 100
Health 93 88 100
Housing 109 69 100
Transportation 95 90 100
Utilities 100 101 100
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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Helena is $227,800.

  • The Median Rent in Helena is $1,101.

  • The Median Income in Helena is $96,173.

  • The Home Value To Income in Helena is 2.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Helena is 0.14x.

Statistic Helena Alabama United States
Median Home Value $227,800 $157,100 $244,900
Median Rent $1,101 $852 $1,163
Median Income $96,173 $54,943 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.4x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Helena, AL
$227,800
Median Home Value
$1,101
Median Rent
$96,173
Median Income

Helena, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Helena Services Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Shampoo $0.88 $1.06
Movie $12.74 $10.68
Bowling $15.0 $14.67
Haircut $16.76 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.83 $39.05

Detailed Helena Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Ground Beef $4.35 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.39
Milk $1.92 $2.05
Potatoes $3.0 $3.29
Pizza $9.76 $10.62
Beer $9.12 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.8 $2.34

Detailed Helena Health Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Optometrist $95.8 $108.57
Doctor $77.78 $116.17
Dentist $106.79 $99.13

Detailed Helena Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
Gasoline $2.03 $2.22
Tire Balancing $50.9 $50.07

Detailed Helena Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Helena Alabama
All Electricity $172.23 $167.67
Phone $181.81 $175.64

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 87, 0.9x Helena.

  • Hoover, AL has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Helena.

  • Alabaster, AL has a cost of living index of 98, 1.0x Helena.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Helena
Birmingham, AL 202,234 87 0.9x
Hoover, AL 91,371 110 1.1x
Alabaster, AL 33,133 98 1.0x
Homewood, AL 26,206 112 1.1x
Bessemer, AL 26,171 84 0.8x
Pelham, AL 24,134 99 1.0x
Hueytown, AL 16,694 91 0.9x
Calera, AL 16,126 97 1.0x
Chelsea, AL 14,710 107 1.0x
Fairfield, AL 10,108 85 0.8x

Articles About Alabama

Enjoy The Snack?