Cahaba River town
Moving to Helena, Alabama?
A Shelby County town on Buck Creek and the Cahaba River with an Old Town district, four Helena-named county schools, and an I-65 commute.
Start here
Old Town at the center, subdivisions around it.
Helena facts at a glance.
| Measure | Helena |
|---|---|
| Population | 23,388 (July 1, 2025 estimate) Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Median household income | $115,139 Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Median gross rent | $1,574/month Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Median home value | $330,700 Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Homes that are owner-occupied | 91.1% Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Average commute to work | 30.7 minutes Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Sales tax | 10% in the Shelby County part (4% state, 1% county, 5% city); 11% in the Jefferson County part (2% county) Source: Alabama Department of Revenue local tax rate file ↗ |
| Public schools | Shelby County Schools: Helena Elementary, Helena Intermediate, Helena Middle, and Helena High School Source: Shelby County Schools ↗ |
| Named area | Old Town Helena, home of the Amphitheater Park on Buck Creek Source: City of Helena parks and recreation ↗ |
| City parks | Joe Tucker Park (230 Tucker Road), Amphitheater Park, Buck Creek Park, and Cahaba Lily Park Source: City of Helena parks and recreation ↗ |
| Grocery store | Publix at Crow’s Corner on Highway 17 Source: Google Maps business listings |
| Drive to downtown Birmingham | About 31 minutes (24.5 miles) Source: Google Maps driving estimates from each city hall, light Saturday-afternoon traffic |
| Drive to UAB Hospital | About 31 minutes (22.9 miles) Source: Google Maps driving estimates from each city hall, light Saturday-afternoon traffic |
| Drive to BHM airport | About 35 minutes (29.1 miles) Source: Google Maps driving estimates from each city hall, light Saturday-afternoon traffic |
Checked October 2026. Census figures are American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024, except population. Drive times are light-traffic estimates; weekday rush hours take longer. Taxes, utilities, and school assignment depend on the exact address, so confirm them before you sign.
Why put it on your list?
In Helena, 91.1% of homes are owner-occupied, and the Census median rent is $1,574, higher than Hoover’s $1,457. Rentals are few, so renters should start early and expect most options to be single-family houses.
Old Town Helena sits along Buck Creek, with the Amphitheater Park beside it, but most homes are in subdivisions away from the old center. Map the route from the actual subdivision, not from City Hall, because the drive to I-65 is different from each side of town.
Ask about flood maps near the creek and the river, and read HOA documents in the newer subdivisions. Those details belong to the address, not the town.
Old Town, the parks, and which county you are in.
The city’s parks page lists Joe Tucker Park on Tucker Road, the Amphitheater Park in Old Town, Buck Creek Park, and Cahaba Lily Park (City of Helena parks and recreation ↗). The Cahaba River and Buck Creek shape the town, so a short drive often ends at water.
Helena students attend Shelby County Schools ↗, which runs four Helena schools from elementary through high school. Confirm the zoned school for the exact address.
Most of Helena is in Shelby County, where sales tax is 10%. A small part is in Jefferson County, where the county rate is 2% instead of 1%, so the total there is 11% (Alabama Department of Revenue local tax rate file ↗).
Verify the address before deciding.
Current inventory, taxes, insurance, zoning, schools, utilities, inspection findings, and commute times belong to the exact property and your actual routine.
- Families who want a full set of Helena-named county schools
- Buyers who want a house in an owner-heavy town
- People who like river and creek parks close to home
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