Helena is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, home to about 21,769 people across 22 square miles. Its ZIP code is 35080, and parts of 35022 and 35114 are in Helena too.
Homes sold for a median of $176 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Helena; also Hoover
Mostly Bessemer; part is in Helena
Mostly Alabaster; part is in Helena
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Helena. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Helena’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)22 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA147 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Houston, TX554 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Helena; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Helena had 20,914 residents in the 2020 census, up 103% since 2000.
It’s the 31st largest of 591 towns in Alabama by population.
Shelby County grew from 23,684 residents in 1900 to 223,024 in 2020.
Shelby County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 92°F in summer, and winter lows average 35°F. About 55.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Helena, AL weather station (4 miles away).
87,718 jobs at 5,610 businesses in Shelby County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
71 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Helena.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 13 |
| Mental health providers | 38 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (3 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1845.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Shelby County. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Elementary SchoolHelena | K–2 | 778 | Public | 3.9 mi |
| Helena Intermediate SchoolHelena | 3–5 | 955 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| Helena MiddleHelena | 6–8 | 957 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Helena High SchoolHelena | 9–12 | 1,383 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gospel Light Baptist AcademyHelena | Pre-K–12 | 27 | Baptist | 4.0 mi |
| Primrose School of RiverwoodsHelena | Pre-K–K | 45 | Nonsectarian | 2.6 mi |
| The Hillsboro SchoolHelena | Pre-K–12 | 34 | Nonsectarian | 1.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Bessemer, Alabaster, Hoover, Birmingham, McCalla and Brantleyville.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.