Birmingham and its three nearest cities side by side: 2025 millage, state report card grades, Zillow values for September 2026 and Census figures.
Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Sources: the Alabama Department of Revenue’s 2025 millage table (PDF), the Alabama State Department of Education’s state report card, Zillow Research, the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates and QuickFacts, and each city’s website.
Mountain Brook, Homewood and Tarrant are the three cities nearest Birmingham’s center: about four, five and five miles away by the Census Bureau’s place centers. Mountain Brook and Homewood sit over Red Mountain to the south; Tarrant is to the northeast, near the airport. All four are in Jefferson County and share its tax collector and courts, but each has its own city government, police and fire departments and school system. This page sets the official figures side by side, one table per topic. It does not rank them.
Property taxes
Alabama taxes a home you live in at 10% of its appraised value, then applies the total millage; one mill is $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value. These are the levies on the Jefferson County side in the Department of Revenue’s October 2025 millage table (PDF). A small part of Birmingham is in Shelby County, with different rates.
| Levy (mills) | Birmingham | Mountain Brook | Homewood | Tarrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Jefferson County | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 |
| Schools (countywide 8.2 plus district) | 24.0 | 42.3 | 23.3 | 19.4 |
| City | 28.5 | 46.7 | 31.7 | 17.0 |
| Total | 72.5 | 109.0 | 75.0 | 56.4 |
| Tax on a $300,000 home, before exemptions | $2,175 | $3,270 | $2,250 | $1,692 |
The table notes that 9.8 of Birmingham’s city mills are for education, as are 14.2 of Homewood’s and 6.8 of Tarrant’s. A $5 storm water fee for homes applies in most county districts, including all four cities. Homestead exemptions are set by state law and applied by the county, not by the cities; see the Department of Revenue’s homestead page.
City millage rates
Source: Alabama Department of Revenue, 2025 millage rates, Jefferson County. More in our property tax guide.
Schools
Each city runs its own school system. Grades are from the state’s 2024-25 report card, on an A to F scale with a score out of 100.
| System | 2024-25 grade |
|---|---|
| Birmingham City Schools | C (77) |
| Mountain Brook Schools | A (99) |
| Homewood City Schools | A (96) |
| Tarrant City Schools | C (75) |
High schools, from the same report card:
| City | High school | 2024-25 grade |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Ramsay High | A (93) |
| Birmingham | Wenonah High | C (73) |
| Birmingham | George Washington Carver High | C (72) |
| Birmingham | Huffman High | C (71) |
| Birmingham | Parker High | D (66) |
| Birmingham | Woodlawn High | D (61) |
| Birmingham | Jackson-Olin High | D (60) |
| Mountain Brook | Mountain Brook High | A (99) |
| Homewood | Homewood High | A (94) |
| Tarrant | Tarrant High | C (70) |
Ramsay High does not appear as a zoned school at the points we checked in Birmingham City Schools’ Find My Zone tool; the district’s specialty schools page explains how students apply to schools beyond their zone. Which Birmingham high school serves a neighborhood is in our neighborhoods guide and schools guide.
Home values
The Zillow Home Value Index for each city, September 2026. It is a modeled typical value for the middle third of homes, not a sale price.
| City | September 2026 | September 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $134,165 | $137,465 | -2.4% |
| Mountain Brook | $1,054,515 | $970,355 | +8.7% |
| Homewood | $568,543 | $533,376 | +6.6% |
| Tarrant | $75,123 | $74,415 | +1.0% |
Typical home value by city
Source: Zillow Research, city ZHVI. More in our home prices guide.
People, income and commute
From the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates (data profiles DP03, DP04 and DP05), the same vintage for all four cities. Median home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, a different measure from Zillow’s. The QuickFacts comparison shows the four together and may show a different vintage.
| Measure | Birmingham | Mountain Brook | Homewood | Tarrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 198,173 | 22,029 | 27,829 | 5,925 |
| Median household income | $46,051 | $201,479 | $94,485 | $42,070 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $158,800 | $916,300 | $558,500 | $120,100 |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.8 minutes | 16.4 minutes | 17.1 minutes | 26.5 minutes |
Each figure is an estimate with a margin of error, which the Census tables list. The city profiles: Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood and Tarrant.
City services
| Service | Birmingham | Mountain Brook | Homewood | Tarrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police | Birmingham Police Department | Mountain Brook Police Department | Homewood Police Department | Tarrant Police Department |
| Fire | Birmingham Fire and Rescue | Mountain Brook Fire Department | Homewood Fire Department | Tarrant Fire Department |
| Garbage | City Public Works | Amwaste, under city contract | Amwaste, under city contract | Republic Services |
Sources: Birmingham’s pickup page, Mountain Brook’s waste schedule page, the City of Homewood’s garbage page and Tarrant’s public works page, which lists Republic Services as its garbage provider, and the city websites (Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Tarrant) for police and fire. Tarrant’s police department is at 2593 Commerce Circle, 205-849-2811 for non-emergencies, according to its police page. Birmingham pickup days are in our trash and recycling guide.
How to check an address
- Which city is it in? Look up the parcel in Jefferson County’s property tax portal, which shows the taxing district. A Birmingham mailing address or a shared ZIP code does not tell you the city: parts of Birmingham use ZIP codes Zillow files under Mountain Brook and Homewood.
- Which schools? For a Birmingham address, use Birmingham City Schools’ Find My Zone. In the other three cities, ask that city’s school system.
- What will the tax bill be? The same county portal shows the current bill and its levies for any parcel; the Jefferson County Tax Collector’s Birmingham office is at 205-325-5500. Our property tax guide explains how assessments work and how to appeal.
Frequently asked questions
Which has higher property taxes, Birmingham or Mountain Brook?
Mountain Brook. On the Jefferson County side, the state’s October 2025 table lists 109 total mills for a Mountain Brook home, 75 for Homewood, 72.5 for Birmingham and 56.4 for Tarrant. All four share the same 6.5 state and 13.5 county mills.
How do Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood and Tarrant schools compare?
On the state’s 2024-25 report card, Mountain Brook Schools earned an A (99), Homewood City Schools an A (96), Birmingham City Schools a C (77) and Tarrant City Schools a C (75).
What is the typical home value in Birmingham compared with Mountain Brook?
In September 2026 the Zillow Home Value Index was $134,165 for Birmingham, $1,054,515 for Mountain Brook, $568,543 for Homewood and $75,123 for Tarrant. The index is a modeled typical value, not a sale price.
How do I know which city an address is in?
Look up the parcel in Jefferson County’s property tax portal, which shows the taxing district. A Birmingham mailing address or a shared ZIP code does not tell you the city.
Have your say