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Vestavia Hills, Alabama

26 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1890 and the latest in 1997. It stands in the Birmingham census division. It lies in ZIP code area 35216. It lies near Shades Mountain. The Survey maps it on the Birmingham South quadrangle. 39,102 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 951 feet above sea level.

Vestavia Hills within Jefferson County

Population over time

2 figures

Vestavia Hills grew from 34,033 to 39,102 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201034,033
202039,102+5,069 (+15%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

13 surveys from 26 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

32 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 32 fires within 5 miles of Vestavia Hills between 1993 and 2016, burning about 408 acres in total. None started naturally. 19 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism19
Missing data/not specified/undetermined9
Debris and open burning2
Equipment and vehicle use1
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
5 September 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
15 September 1995Debris and open burning1.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
13 September 2000Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
30 June 2009Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commission1302 MORGAN RD, AL
30 May 2011Recreation and ceremony2.0 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionNORMAN DRIVE, AL
27 April 2012Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreAlabama Forestry CommissionNER-20120427-002
23 April 2007Arson/incendiarism1.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
22 April 2001Arson/incendiarism2.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Jefferson County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 20 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 20 workings within 5 miles of Vestavia Hills: 14 past producers, 3 plants, 2 unknowns, 1 producer. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Iron, Vermiculite. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Birmingham PlantVermiculitePast Producer
Birmingham Red Ore Dist.IronProducer
Birmingham Red Ore Mines DistrictIronPast Producer1864, 1972
Green Spring MineIronPast Producer
Helen Bess MineIronPast Producer
Ishkooda MinesIronPast Producer1863, 1969
Kewanaw MineIronPast Producer
Republic Steel/ Birmingham, Ala.IronPlant
So. Electric Steel/Birmingham, Ala.IronPlant
Spaulding MineIronPast Producer1886

Every working recorded in Jefferson County

Storms near this place

39 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Vestavia Hills in 39 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 21 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 7 flash flood, 2 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2000Tornado (F1)Vestavia Hills$4,000,000The tornado path began on Shades Crest just west of US 31. The tornado paralleled Shades Crest before moving down a hill and across the Birmingham Water Works and US 280. The tornado continued to travel northeasterly just north of Overton Road through a heavily wooded residential area and continued along Overton Road to I-459. The tornado ended just east of I-459 in the Cahaba River area in the vicinity of Liberty Park.Damage was primarily to trees with generally minor roof damage to structures. Several structures sustained major damage at the Birmingham Water Works on US 280. Some structures sustained heavy damage when trees fell on them. Beginning: 33 27.310/86 47.330 End: 33 29.243/86 41.825
April 2008Tornado (EF0)Vestavia Hills$50,000At the Colonial Grand Apartments, mulitple trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado moved northeast and caused more damage at the Cedar Brook Apartments. Multiple trees were snapped off and major roof damage occurred when a brick fire wall used to separate units collapsed.
April 1998HailVestavia Hills$25,000Tennis ball size hail was reported by an off duty weather service employee.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills$8,000A tree was blown down onto a house.
June 2004Flash FloodVestavia Hills$8,000Water covered several roads near Patton Creek in Vestavia Hills. A few of the roads were temporarily impassable.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills$8,000A few trees were blown down in Vestavia Hills.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills$5,000The canopy of a convenience store was ripped off and landed on a vehicle.
January 1997HailVestavia Hills$5,000no account filed
January 1997HailVestavia Hills$5,000no account filed
April 2011Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills$3,000Trees and power lines were blown down across Hackberry Lane.
July 2005Flash FloodVestavia Hills$3,000Patton Creek was flooded and out of its banks. A few roads were temporarily impassable due to the high water.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills$2,000A few trees and power lines were blown down on Shades Crest Road.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills$1,000Heavy rainfall and gusty winds resulted in a few trees falling in the Hoover, Vestavia Hills, and Cahaba Heights areas, with some bringing down power lines as well.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Trees were downed in the Hoover area.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Trees were downed in the Vestavia Hills area.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Trees were downed on Old Rocky Ridge Rd and Rocky Ridge Lane.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-A tree fell on a home in Vestavia Hills, damaging the front porch.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Several trees were downed in the Hoover and Vestavia Hills areas, including at Montreat Circle and Montreat Lane.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Trees were downed in the Hoover area. One residence had a large oak tree fall onto the house, causing roof damage and ceiling damage on two floors.
June 2025Flash FloodVestavia Hills-Numerous roadways were flooded around downtown Birmingham, Homewood, and Irondale. An underpass at the I-20/I-459 interchange was flooded, U.S. 31 at Ventura Ave in Homewood was flooded, and Floyd Bradford Rd was flooded at Amber Hills Rd. In addition, there were several reports of flooding in the I-59/20 area south of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport, including 31st St and Tallapoosa St.
November 2025Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Several trees were downed across the Vestavia Hills area.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Numerous trees were downed in various parts of Hoover.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Numerous trees uprooted across southern Jefferson County, including the cities of Vestavia Hills, Hoover, and Mountain Brook.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Several trees uprooted in the Derby Downs neighborhood of Hoover.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Several trees uprooted near Rime Village Drive.
June 2021Flash FloodVestavia Hills-Several clusters of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall produced flash flooding across southern Jefferson County. Several roads were impassable in the Cahaba Heights areas and an observer reported 2.25 inches of rain in one hour.
March 2020Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in the city of Vestavia Hills.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Several trees uprooted on Highway 31 in the city of Vestavia Hills.
June 2020Flash FloodVestavia Hills-Slow moving thunderstorms produced very heavy rainfall in a short period of time across extreme southern Jefferson County. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches fell during a one hour period, resulting in flash flooding in the Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills areas.
August 2019Flash FloodVestavia Hills-Many reports of flooded roadways with water levels several several feet deep in places, mainly in the Cahaba Heights and Vestavia areas. Several reports of submerged vehicles.
July 2017Flash FloodVestavia Hills-Severe flash flooding occurred in a very small area of southern Jefferson County, along Patton Creek, which winds through the cities of Vestavia Hills and Hoover. Water levels rose rapidly along the creek and flooded numerous adjacent businesses and roads. Several vehicles were washed off the road and into the creek.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-A tree was uprooted, blocking a roadway in Vestavia Hills.
September 2011FloodVestavia Hills-Heavy rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee resulted in flash flooding across much of Jefferson County. Water levels of several area creeks remained higher than bank full and numerous roads remained close through early Tuesday morning, September 6.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindVestavia Hills-Winds were estimated around 65 mph near Rocky Ridge Road and Wisteria Drive.
May 2003HailVestavia Hills-Nickel size hail was observed in Vestavia Hills.
April 1994HailVestavia Hills-Golf ball-size hail fell in Vestavia Hills. The roof on a sporting goods store collapsed at 1130 CST following a lightning strike on the building and extremely heavy rain. None of the fifteen people in the store were hurt.
June 2011HailVestavia Hills-no account filed
April 2009HailVestavia Hills-no account filed
May 2009HailVestavia Hills-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Jefferson County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Vestavia Lake0.3 miles26
Montclair0.4 miles26
Biltmore Estates0.4 miles26
Beacon Hills0.4 miles26
Vesclub Estates0.6 miles26
Vestavia Hills Estates0.7 miles26
Southridge0.7 miles26
Vesthaven Estates0.8 miles26

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Vestavia HillsAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q79695The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 153841. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.