East on I-20
Moving to Leeds, Alabama?
A small city with its own school system, east of Birmingham on I-20, spread across three counties, with lower home prices than the south suburbs.
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Three counties, one small school system.
Leeds facts at a glance.
| Measure | Leeds |
|---|---|
| Population | 12,831 (July 1, 2025 estimate) Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Median household income | $69,737 Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Median gross rent | $1,058/month Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Median home value | $224,600 Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Homes that are owner-occupied | 72.0% Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Average commute to work | 27.0 minutes Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts ↗ |
| Sales tax | 10% in the Jefferson County and St. Clair County parts; 9% in the Shelby County part (4% state, 4% city, plus the county rate) Source: Alabama Department of Revenue local tax rate file ↗ |
| Public schools | Leeds City Schools: Leeds Elementary, Leeds Middle, and Leeds High School Source: Leeds City Schools ↗ |
| City park | Leeds Memorial Park: a 1.5-mile walking track on the Little Cahaba River at Highway 119, built as a veterans memorial Source: City of Leeds: Leeds Memorial Park ↗ |
| Grocery stores | Publix on Village Drive; Walmart Supercenter on Whitfield Avenue Source: Google Maps business listings |
| Drive to downtown Birmingham | About 25 minutes (18.4 miles) Source: Google Maps driving estimates from each city hall, light Saturday-afternoon traffic |
| Drive to UAB Hospital | About 27 minutes (20.1 miles) Source: Google Maps driving estimates from each city hall, light Saturday-afternoon traffic |
| Drive to BHM airport | About 20 minutes (14.2 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?
Leeds sits where Jefferson, St. Clair, and Shelby counties meet. The city has its own school system, Leeds City Schools, with one elementary, one middle, and one high school, for a town of about 13,000 people.
The Census median home value is $224,600 and the median rent is $1,058, both lower than in Hoover, Mountain Brook, or Trussville. The airport is about 20 minutes west on I-20, closer than it is from Chelsea or Helena.
Because the city crosses three county lines, the sales tax, property tax, and county services depend on which side of a line an address falls. Ask for the county on every listing before you compare costs.
A city school system and a park on the river.
Leeds City Schools ↗ runs Leeds Elementary, Leeds Middle, and Leeds High School. A small system means one school per grade band, so every Leeds address in the system feeds the same schools.
Leeds Memorial Park has a one-and-a-half-mile walking track on the north bank of the Little Cahaba River where it crosses Highway 119. The city built it as a memorial to veterans from the Leeds area (City of Leeds: Leeds Memorial Park ↗).
Sales tax is 10% in the Jefferson and St. Clair county parts of Leeds and 9% in the Shelby County part, because Shelby County’s rate is 1% instead of 2% (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.
- Buyers who want a lower price and a small city school system
- People who fly often or work on the east side of the metro
- Anyone who wants quick access to I-20 toward Atlanta
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