CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

33.44° N · 86.68° W · GEOID 0109500

Brook Highland

Shelby County, Alabama · part of the Birmingham, AL metro

AlabamaBrook Highland, ALBrook HighlandBrook Highland

The short answer

Brook Highland is home to 8,146 people. Median household income is $79,904 a year and median rent is $1,460 a month, 21.9% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $427,400, about 5.3x annual median household income.

Brook Highland's housing market sets it apart. Homeowners pay a median of about 0.4% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 94% of places its size. Also notable: Household income growth is 6.9% a year, against 3.6% a year in its closest peers.

49OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Average

Brook Highland scores better than 49% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 47th of 120 in Alabama.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%29
Economy 20%70
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%28
Education 10%89
Commute 10%39
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,460
7% above the median place
Median household income
$79,904
0% below the median place
Median home value
$427,400
34% above the median place
Unemployment
2.9%
41% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Brook Highland

  • Who lives here4.6% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 88% of the 2,082 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Brook Highland

Shelby County gains about 8.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in12,558
Moved out10,917
Net+1,641

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Alabama, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within AlabamaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$76K
Leavers$79K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Shelby County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
10.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Shelby County report $75,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $78,700.
Income you would need
$58,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,460 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,929 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $427,400.
Getting to work
27 minutes each way on average; 18.4% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Southern Pines, NC matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
10.7%
86% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
8.8
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving out7
$78,680
12% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBrook HighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year110.7%86% above
Moved from another state1County figure1.9%4% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure8.8above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$75,7187% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$78,68012% above
02

What it costs to live here

The median home costs 5.3 years of the median household's income, more than in 85% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 120 Alabama places we track.

Brook Highland21.9%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$58,400
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
21.9%
7% above the median place
Home price to income
5.3x
41% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
22%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$65,300
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Brook Highland, $1,460 a month, and local prices for everything else (95.7 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Brook Highland, but easier on the budget

Places that match Brook Highland on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Southern Pines, NC9218.4% vs 21.9%$11,500Compare
Lisle, IL8018.5% vs 21.9%$20,800Compare
Perrysburg, OH8012.9% vs 21.9%$35,700Compare
Creve Coeur, MO8015.3% vs 21.9%$44,300Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Brook Highland.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Brook Highland? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
0.4%
54% below the median place
Homeownership1
46.5%
30% below the median place
Median year built1
1994
1% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureBrook HighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,4607% above
Rent to income121.9%7% above
Property tax rate10.4%54% below
Home price to income15.3x41% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure91.69% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,37515% below
HUD area median income4County figure$104,1003% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,79645% below
Median home value1$427,40034% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure4.0%26% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure48.3%6% below
Homeownership146.5%30% below
Renters paying 30%+152.3%3% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,9293% above
Vacant homes1County figure5.6%21% below
Median year built119941% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
4.6%
57% below the median place
Income per person1
$59,978
50% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Works from home18.4% +48%
Mean commute27 min +8%
Median household income$79,904 −0%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBrook HighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$79,9040% below
Income per person1$59,97850% above
Unemployment1County figure2.9%41% below
Average annual pay6County figure$69,5055% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.1%11% above
Jobs6County figure84,77844% below
Poverty rate14.6%57% below
Mean commute127 min8% above
Works from home118.4%48% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

61% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a larger share than in 89% of the 2,473 places under 10,000 people we track.

Household size1
2.1
15% below the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
61.2%
91% above the median place
High school or higher1
96.8%
5% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

No health insurance4.3% −33%
Homes with broadband94.7% +3%
Born abroad8.4% −5%
Median age39.1 +0%
All 8 people measures
MeasureBrook HighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population18,1464883rd largest
Median age139.10% above
Bachelor's or higher161.2%91% above
High school or higher196.8%5% above
Household size12.115% below
Born abroad18.4%5% below
No health insurance14.3%33% below
Homes with broadband194.7%3% above
05

Life in Brook Highland

OpenStreetMap shows 22.1 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 79% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 120 Alabama places we track.

13 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents22.1 2.2×
Playgrounds per 10k2.5 −74%
Grocery stores per 10k2.5 +16%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k4.9 −56%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument 9 miles
  • Freedom Riders National Monument 47 miles
  • Horseshoe Bend National Military Park 64 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars18.1 −13%
Shops30.8 +2%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.0 −2%
Doctors' offices and clinics19.0 −6%
Child care centers1.7 −26%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
9.3
70% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k8
1.7
26% below the median place
Public school students12
35,120
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureBrook HighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure48above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure35,120above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure16.15% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure18.113% below
Shops per 10k8County figure30.82% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.02% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure19.06% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.726% below
Parks per 10k922.1117% above
Playgrounds per 10k92.574% below
Grocery stores per 10k92.516% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k94.956% below
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site109.370% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1020% above
National Register listings11County figure130% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Good air days is 91.4%, 33% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Brook Highland. Larger places are fetched first.

Good air days15
91.4%
33% above the median place
Annual precipitation13
56.2 in
28% above the median place
Median air quality index15
36
16% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureBrook HighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure91°F5% above
January average low13County figure33°F31% above
Average temperature13County figure63°F14% above
Annual precipitation13County figure56.2 in28% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure90.32% below
Hurricane risk14County figure66.07% below
Tornado risk14County figure98.321% above
Wildfire risk14County figure74.321% above
Heat wave risk14County figure88.62% below
Median air quality index15County figure3616% below
Good air days15County figure91.4%33% above
08

Brook Highland in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 22% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Brook Highland does better than 32% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 8%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,460/mo (2024)$1,890/mo$1,550 to $2,310/mo+4.4%
Median household income$79,904 (2024)$103,000$87,000 to $122,000+4.3%
Median home value$427,400 (2024)$592,000$429,000 to $815,000+5.6%

The median home would be worth 5.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.3 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Brook Highland

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Middleton, WI$1,437$89,524Compare
Northampton, MA$1,439$80,288Compare
Portland, ME$1,577$79,540Compare
Flowood, MS$1,430$83,880Compare
Flowood, MSPortland, MENorthampton, MAMiddleton, WIBrook Highland, ALBrook HighlandMiddletonNorthamptonPortlandFlowoodBrook HighlandMiddletonPortlandFlowood

Places built like Brook Highland

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Brook Highland performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Brook Highland, AL21.9%6.9%/yrn/a
Collegedale, TN27.0%3.5%/yr3.6%Compare
Middletown, KY21.8%1.9%/yr2.4%Compare
Flowood, MS20.5%5.2%/yr7.4%Compare
Lyndon, KY22.8%2.7%/yr2.2%Compare
Pikeville, KY25.9%4.4%/yr-6.3%Compare
Garrison, MD22.9%4.4%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Brook Highland a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 49 out of 100, better than 49% of the places we rate and 47th of 120 in Alabama. 4.6% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 88% of the 2,082 places under 10,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 16 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Brook Highland expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 21.9% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $427,400.

What salary do you need to live in Brook Highland?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $58,400 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Brook Highland?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Middleton, WI, Northampton, MA, Portland, ME and Flowood, MS.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Brook Highland with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Brook Highland itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/brook-highland-alabama

Citytistics. “Brook Highland, Alabama.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/brook-highland-alabama/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.