2021 Best Places to Raise a Family in the Birmingham Area

Homewood

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.19 out of 5  64 reviews

Former Resident: My experience at Homewood has been nothing but the best! I was raised in Homewood and went to Homewood City Schools for the majority of my life. The teachers at Homewood want nothing but the best for their students. They go the long mile to provide an environment of learning that enables students to be individuals of their own. Homewood is a family oriented community. They strive to do their best to keep the community going. The community has fundraisers, events, and foundations to give back to the city. As a senior in college finishing up my last semester, I appreciate the people who have raised and helped me achieve my overall success!
Read 64 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 25,534 Population

Indian Springs Village

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.88 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: It's country living in a sub-urban area. It is primarily residential, with some commercial areas at the periphery. It's quiet, minimum traffic, wooded. Indian Springs Village is right across the highway from Alabama's largest (10,000 acre) state park.
Read 8 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• 2,549 Population

Hoover

• Town in Alabama
• Rating 4.16 out of 5  212 reviews

Current Resident: I love the diverse community and the small-town feeling without feeling too small. By that I mean, I can still travel to events in Birmingham at the BJCC but you still will see people you know all the time at the grocery store. There are tons of restaurants and activities to participate in around the area and the school system is one that I'm proud to have been involved in myself. I feel like the only thing I have a problem with within Hoover is that because it is trying to become well-known and popular it is tearing down some of the forests that add to the scenery of the area. There is Moss Rock Preserved locally but even then building is impeding on the natural aspects of Hoover's beauty. Overall, it has ample opportunity for jobs, places for students to thrive, and community aspects that encourage personal growth in whatever avenues necessary for the individual.
Read 212 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 85,175 Population

Vestavia Hills

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.4 out of 5  43 reviews

Current Resident: Big city, small town charm! Lots of small businesses and restaurants all over this many square mile city. Schools are excellent. Children are well behaved and seem to have been put through manners training-Well done Mothers! City services are top notch. Police and fire protection ranked high enough for a rate drop from my insurance carrier! Garbage pickup twice a week is pure luxury. Senior Center activities, transportation. Parks that will be the envy of all surrounding communities once they are completed. Ordinances that protect a peaceful way of life. Noise, fireworks, construction all have an ordinance that addresses their affect on tax payers quality of life.
Vestavia Hills is just a grand place to live! Some people are wealthy, some have a little money, so struggle and some are dirt poor, but they are all HARD working citizens! That is what makes this city unique. Everyone understands because everyone works for what they have. This is a dying trend in America. Well done VH!
Read 43 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 34,307 Population

Mountain Brook

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.21 out of 5  24 reviews

Current Resident: Everyone in Mountain Brook is very friendly and the education is amazing. There are so many opportunities to stay active in the community. My only complaints are that there is a lack of diversity and the lack of street lights. For all of the young drivers out there, it makes it difficult once it gets dark out. Other than that, Mountain Brook is amazing. I could not have asked for a better place to live!
Read 24 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 20,436 Population

Meadowbrook

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.2 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: Meadow Brook is a friendly neighborhood very convenient to shopping and restaurants. A beautiful neighborhood for taking a walk or run. All different age groups here from young children to senior citizens. School bus service to very good schools. Many residents making improvements and updates to the older homes.
Read 10 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• 9,468 Population

Trussville

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.76 out of 5  72 reviews

Current Resident: Trussville is a very tight-knit community. Everyone knows everyone and everyone supports one another. The school system is amazing and so invested in the students that pass through the school. The town just feels like home. So many cute parks, playgrounds, restaurants, and spots to hang out in.
Read 72 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 21,876 Population

Pelham

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.1 out of 5  62 reviews

Current Resident: Pelham is a small suburb town south of Birmingham, AL. I would like to see more opportunities dmfir diversity within communities and schools. This could be achieved by housing grants and programs that facilitate
education scholarships and programs to afford opportunities to students of other races and socioeconomic backgrounds to become Pelham residents and students.
Moreover, I would like to more homeschool cooperatives that allow students to work independently as we as attend school half-time.
These and other educational initiatives would empower more children of color or ethnicities to realize the quiet living in Pelham and to become assets to schools and the community as a whole.
Read 62 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 23,428 Population

Helena

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.13 out of 5  86 reviews

Current Resident: Helena is a small suburban town outside of Birmingham, AL. It hosts a diversified group of families. One of the great things about Helena is the little town of Helena. It is a great gathering place for families and friends alike to come and enjoy food, festivities and local Mom and Pop shops. People just love the small town feel and the family atmosphere. It is a little off the beaten path but well worth the drive. It could use some better alternatives for night life though. The town shuts down after dark.
Read 86 Reviews

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• grade A minus

• grade A+

• 18,463 Population

Chelsea

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.51 out of 5  35 reviews

Current Resident: Cheslea is a wonderful place for families. The school system is highly ranked, and there are many parks geared toward students and children. The restaurant scene has greatly improved in the last decade. There is not much to do at night, you would have to drive to Birmingham for events. Apart from retail, teaching, and food service jobs, most career opportunities are in Birmingham.
Read 35 Reviews

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• grade A minus

• grade A

• 13,098 Population

Alabaster

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.09 out of 5  108 reviews

Current Resident: Alabaster has a small town feel- but with interstate access comes lots of dining/shopping choices! Property values are on the rise. Since the city took over the school system, much improvement has occurred and more is on the way!
Read 108 Reviews

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• grade A

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• 33,176 Population

Brook Highland

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3 out of 5  6 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• 7,147 Population

Calera

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.86 out of 5  36 reviews

Current Resident: I live in south Calera, and I love it. There’s not much to do other than the railroad museum but it’s only about a 15 minute drive to Alabaster, and there’s a lot of stuff up there to do there. It’s quiet, safe, and very welcoming to new folks!
Read 36 Reviews

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• grade B+

• grade A minus

• 13,856 Population

Springville

• Town in Alabama
• Rating 4.22 out of 5  23 reviews

Former Resident: I have lived here for my whole life and have seen a few changes along the way. They built a Walmart with shops connected including Dollar Tree, several restaurants, a gym, a soccer compound, Taco Bell, Zaxby's, two gas stations, a hair salon, Verizon store, and a KFC's. The expansion of the town has grown a lot and even made a town playground and summer pool park for the children to go to on a hot day. Everyone is usually sweet, however, the town is majority white and does not have a lot of diversity.
Read 23 Reviews

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• grade B+

• grade A minus

• 4,257 Population

Leeds

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.6 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Leeds is a beautiful small town with an attractive, walk-able downtown area. There's a large park with a children's play area, a walking trail, ball parks and lots of grass space for picnics and playing. Leeds also has a world-class motorcycle museum and race track, a Bass Pro Shop, and a large outlet shopping mall. It's a good place to live with reasonable priced housing and nice neighbors.
Read 15 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade B+

• 12,600 Population

Irondale

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.38 out of 5  34 reviews

Current Resident: Very neighborly and people are friendly. It's a neighborhood kids can go outside and play in, under supervision of course! Lots of pet people also.
Read 34 Reviews

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• grade B

• grade B+

• 12,637 Population

Lake View

• Town in Alabama
• Rating 3.56 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: Neighbors are extremely friendly and the neighborhoods are nice! The elementary school is amazing, but the middle and high schools are not. Wish there was more development, but it's getting there.
Read 18 Reviews

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• grade B minus

• grade B+

• 2,452 Population

Morris

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Morris is a very connected and welcoming community for all of its inhabitants. It's quiet and safe, and manages to provide an overall "cozy" feeling. It's not uncommon to go somewhere and meet friends, or even family, while out on a daily commute. Quiet means there isn't much traffic or crime to be concerned about, but that also means the nightlife doesn't have much of a presence either. Morris is a place for families to settle down and for those working to get into the routine of their jobs - it doesn't so much embody to the eventfulness and liveliness of big city areas.
Read 7 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• grade B+

• 1,841 Population

Kimberly

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Nice neighborhoods, clean roads, very little abandoned buildings or run down places. The authority really does enforce the law and theres never been many serious news worthy crimes. One thing I would like to see change is maybe a couple more police cars mainly because theres only like two or three.
Read 5 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• grade B+

• 3,444 Population

Montevallo

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.53 out of 5  38 reviews

Current Resident: Montevallo is a home away from home. It is a quaint and cunning small town. I adore the historic aspects of the college and the community as well as how it is old-fashioned with a modern twist. Montevallo is known as the most liberal town in Alabama because it is home to the only Liberal Arts college in Alabama. While maintaining an eco-friendly and diverse community, it also maintains the safety and health of its residents. I absolutely love Montevallo!
Read 38 Reviews

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• grade B

• grade B+

• 6,693 Population

Argo

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Argo has that small town feel!! There are a couple of convenience stores and a really good farmers market/nursery for local veggies and plants! Big stores and shopping,restaurants,and groceries are only a few miles away. Crime levels are one of the lowest in the state. Argo is very close to the interstate for convenience!!!
Read 7 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• grade B

• 4,220 Population

Mount Olive

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.93 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: I love my neighborhood! Everyone is very friendly and we all look out for each other and take care of each other! We are a neighborhood from all walks of life. It is full of love and kindness and is a great place to live!
Read 14 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade B

• 4,387 Population

Clay

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.41 out of 5  41 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Clay, Alabama my whole life. It is a small, quiet town with a tight family-feel community. I have enjoyed living here, but I did move to Samford University where I live during the school year. If I could change anything, I would add more restaurants and things to do around here. I would also want more security in Clay because the crime rates have gone up in the last few years.
Read 41 Reviews

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• grade B

• 9,888 Population

Gardendale

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 4.03 out of 5  31 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Gardendale because you get the feeling of a small hometown with unique shops paired with life in a bigger town where you will meet new people everywhere you go. There also is an abundance of fast food restaurants in and around the city which is perfect for grab and go car rides. I have been living there my whole life and I would not have wanted to grow up anywhere else. There is a great school system which has an amazing sports program that is unmatched in some of the divisions that it is in.
Read 31 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• grade B

• 14,016 Population

Moody

• Suburb of Birmingham, AL
• Rating 3.66 out of 5  56 reviews

Current Resident: We moved to this small outlying community 14 years ao from a more suburb environment. We have a friendly, professional and wonderful police department and an outstanding civic facilities such as the civic center and library. Personnel always friendly and helpful at these facilities. Shopping is great at our Publix and baby fast food facilities. Also locally owned restaurants like Carpenettis, Bluegrass BBQ and L&L Asian. Retail stores close by at Shoppes if River Grand, Bass Pro and soon to be Buckeyes. Ten minutes from the airport, and East acess to Atlanta via I 20
Read 56 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• grade B

• 12,840 Population