CommunityScale is partnering with the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission to conduct a Housing Study for the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) along with 6 regional counties: Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker. The goal of this study is to collect data on demographic, housing, workforce, and growth trends to better understand the housing ecosystem across the region. The analyses in this report will provide grounding for future policy and planning at the MPA, regional, and county level.
A growing region
The suburbs in the Birmingham region are growing rapidly, anchored by the job clusters in the city of Birmingham and Jefferson County. However, the fastest growth is taking place in the outer suburban counties of Shelby and St. Clair, while Birmingham and Jefferson County have seen a much slower growth rate. The more rural counties of Blount, Chilton, and Walker have also seen a high percent change in housing units.
This suburban growth is pushing outside the boundaries of the MPA. Most of the fastest-growing municipalities are on the edges of the MPA region, with several outside the boundary. This pattern of development has planning implications for the RPC – as the population sprawls, vehicle traffic and infrastructure demand increases across a larger area. The housing needs assessment for the MPA region will help inform the RPC’s strategies and future funding priorities.
Housing needs
The growth in these outer counties is nearly all single-family homes. Only Jefferson County has built a significant number of multifamily units in the past 10 years. There are low vacancy rates for ownership and rental units, indicating demand for both, in all counties. Notably, Jefferson County, where nearly all multifamily construction has occurred, is close to a healthy rental vacancy rate.Across the region, single-person and adult roommate households have increased, further supporting demand for smaller units and rental options.
Affordability
At a regional scale, the typical home is affordable to a median income household. However, there is significant geographic variation. The fast-growing suburban Shelby and St. Clair counties have higher home prices and higher median incomes, while the more urban Jefferson county and rural Blount, Chilton, and Walker counties all have lower home prices and lower median incomes. A median income household in Walker County would not be able to afford a median home in Shelby or St. Clair County.
Next Steps
Following this regional picture, we’ll dive into individual assessments for each county, focused on understanding local housing, demographic, and workforce dynamics. We’ll also prepare a special housing needs assessment and market analysis for the MPA region geared towards policy and planning support. We will also be conducting housing location suitability analyses and assessing barriers to development for each county.
