Birmingham, AL
35208 · Birmingham, AL has a HavenScore of 67 — affordability carries it — prices sit within reach of local incomes.
At the ZIP's typical value, the estimated monthly payment takes 19% of the local median income (Zillow, US Census ACS) and runs $577 a month less than the median rent (Zillow ZORI). The buyer/seller gauge leans narrowly toward buyers, and has for 7 months. Typical values moved lower over the last 90 days (Zillow ZHVI).
Saved ZIPs on Haven get an email when the score moves 5+ points as monthly data lands, when the market gauge flips between buyers and sellers, when its valuation read moves against the model value, or when distress jumps in a week.
Zillow ZHVI peaked at $93,312 in Aug 2022; the latest value is -15.8% from that peak, 47 months on. Since January 2019 it is +71.4%. The sharpest 12-month move was -7.7%, ending Jul 2026.
Ranked #66 of 13,130 nationally · #31 of 5,378 small market ZIPs
Buyer view active — Leans harder on affordability and downside risk.
Score inputs below recompute for this view
Snapshot
Numbers at a glance, with a year of history under each
Place
What it is like to live here, and what could flood or burn
Bands are each source’s own · tick marks the national median ZIP · not blended into the score
Tract-level rolled up to ZIP · not a property-level rating · no future-year projection · refreshed annually (Dec 2025 release) · county tick = median of 46 scored ZIPs in Jefferson County
Everyday prices in the Birmingham metro run 8% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024).
Rents in the index run 28% below the US average.
$75,000 at US-average prices buys what $68,750 buys here.
Metro-level index, US = 100 · 2024 · the Birmingham metro, not this ZIP alone
What drives the score
Five pillars, each scored 0–100
Market signals
Tailwinds and headwinds right now
- Affordable vs. income2.1× income — below the national median
- Strong migration inflow+2.7% net — people moving in
- Strong job market2.3% unemployment
- Declining prices-7.7% year-over-year
- Potentially overvalued36% above historical price-to-income
- Slow-moving market74 days on market — homes sitting longer
Market conditions
Leaning Buyer
Conditions are easing in buyers' favor. The score reads more negotiation room than balanced.
Cycle read. Softening: prices -7.7% over the trailing year, with the market leaning toward buyers.
The Zillow figure is a smoothed index of typical value, not a list price; the Redfin figures are closed sales for the month shown.
Momentum check
What's changed in the last 90 days
Trend
Where it's been
Forecast
Where it's heading
The HavenScore Forecast Model (v1) projects this ZIP’s median value at 3-, 6-, and 12-month horizons, with 80% prediction intervals; Pro adds 24- and 36-month horizons.
Monthly cost
What you'd owe each month
20% down · 30-yr fixed · 6.71% · tax 0.40%
Insurance uses the average homeowners premium insurers reported for this ZIP in 2022, $2,049 a year (Treasury Federal Insurance Office).
19%of the ZIP’s median income at the median value ($603/mo against $37,363 · Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, US Census ACS). Your own marker appears once you set an income or price in the calculator below.
Median home value ÷ median household income · Zillow ZHVI, US Census ACS · under 4× has historically been comfortable
Run the numbers
Your price, rate, down payment and income
Like for like: a 3-bedroom here rents for about $1,340 a month (HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2026) against a typical 3-bedroom value of $81k (Zillow ZHVI by bedroom) — a 19.8% gross rent yield.
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Comparable ZIPs
Same shape, lower entry
ZIPs the score groups near 35208 on Affordability and Growth — sorted by lowest median value. Each tile names what the lower price trades: commute (ACS), walkability band (EPA) and hazard rating (FEMA).
- Saves $19k
- Similar commute
- Similar walkability
- Similar hazard risk
- Saves $17k
- Similar commute
- Similar walkability
- Lower hazard risk
- Saves $14k
- Similar commute
- Similar walkability
- Lower hazard risk
- Saves $7k
- Similar commute
- Similar walkability
- Similar hazard risk
Sources
Every number, traced
Every metric above is sourced from public datasets, normalized against the national ZIP distribution. Home values and rents refresh monthly; demographics refresh annually.
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