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Alabaster, Alabama
Aerial view of Highway 31 in Alabaster, AL
Aerial view of Highway 31 in Alabaster, AL
Flag of Alabaster, Alabama
Flag
Official logo of Alabaster, Alabama
logo
Location of Alabaster in Shelby County, Alabama.
Location of Alabaster in Shelby County, Alabama.
Alabaster, Alabama is located in Alabama
Alabaster, Alabama
Alabaster, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Country United States
State Alabama
County Shelby
Established February 23, 1953
Area
 • Total 25.59 sq mi (66.29 km2)
 • Land 25.28 sq mi (65.47 km2)
 • Water 0.31 sq mi (0.81 km2)
Elevation
584 ft (178 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 33,284
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
35007, 35114
Area codes 205, 659
FIPS code 01-00820
GNIS feature ID 2403069
Website Official website: http://www.cityofalabaster.com/

Alabaster is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. It's located just south of Birmingham. In 2020, about 33,284 people lived there, making it one of Alabama's larger cities.

History of Alabaster

Alabaster got its name from a white mineral called "calcium carbonate." A man named George L. Scott Sr. owned a company that mined this mineral. The place where he shipped it was known as "Scott Rock."

Later, homes were built for the mine workers. In 1952, the first bank opened. George L. Scott Jr., who ran the bank, later became Alabaster's first mayor. The city officially became a city on February 23, 1953. At that time, 427 people lived there.

In recent years, Alabaster has been growing. In 2015, the city started planning to expand an area known for medical facilities. These plans also included building a civic center and new shops. In 2017, there were plans for a large shopping complex called District 31.

Geography and Location

Alabaster is located at 33°13′52″N 86°49′26″W / 33.23111°N 86.82389°W / 33.23111; -86.82389. The city is mostly in two valleys, the Cahaba and Opossum valleys. These valleys are separated by a ridge called Pine Ridge.

The valleys are surrounded by mountain ridges. Small creeks like Buck Creek flow into the Cahaba River. You can reach Alabaster using U.S. Route 31 or I-65 (exit 238). Birmingham is about 23 miles north, and Montgomery is about 69 miles south.

The city covers about 25.6 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Alabaster's Climate

Alabaster has a humid subtropical climate. This means it usually has hot, humid summers and mild winters. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.

Climate data for Alabaster, Alabama (Shelby County Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1995–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 80
(27)
82
(28)
87
(31)
90
(32)
96
(36)
105
(41)
104
(40)
105
(41)
101
(38)
101
(38)
89
(32)
81
(27)
105
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 72.7
(22.6)
76.1
(24.5)
82.2
(27.9)
86.1
(30.1)
91.6
(33.1)
95.7
(35.4)
96.5
(35.8)
97.1
(36.2)
93.9
(34.4)
88.5
(31.4)
77.9
(25.5)
74.9
(23.8)
98.6
(37.0)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 55.7
(13.2)
60.5
(15.8)
67.9
(19.9)
75.4
(24.1)
82.5
(28.1)
88.3
(31.3)
91.1
(32.8)
90.8
(32.7)
86.1
(30.1)
76.3
(24.6)
66.0
(18.9)
58.0
(14.4)
74.9
(23.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 45.7
(7.6)
49.9
(9.9)
57.0
(13.9)
64.0
(17.8)
71.8
(22.1)
78.5
(25.8)
81.3
(27.4)
80.9
(27.2)
75.8
(24.3)
65.1
(18.4)
54.6
(12.6)
48.2
(9.0)
64.4
(18.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 35.6
(2.0)
39.3
(4.1)
46.0
(7.8)
52.6
(11.4)
61.0
(16.1)
68.7
(20.4)
71.6
(22.0)
71.0
(21.7)
65.5
(18.6)
53.9
(12.2)
43.1
(6.2)
38.3
(3.5)
53.9
(12.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 18.3
(−7.6)
24.2
(−4.3)
29.7
(−1.3)
38.3
(3.5)
47.9
(8.8)
61.3
(16.3)
65.0
(18.3)
64.4
(18.0)
53.5
(11.9)
37.3
(2.9)
26.9
(−2.8)
24.3
(−4.3)
17.2
(−8.2)
Record low °F (°C) 9
(−13)
4
(−16)
14
(−10)
28
(−2)
37
(3)
49
(9)
56
(13)
55
(13)
42
(6)
31
(−1)
21
(−6)
10
(−12)
4
(−16)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.35
(136)
5.76
(146)
5.40
(137)
5.07
(129)
4.15
(105)
4.58
(116)
4.93
(125)
4.72
(120)
3.57
(91)
3.03
(77)
4.56
(116)
5.07
(129)
56.19
(1,427)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.1
(0.25)
0.2
(0.51)
0.1
(0.25)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
0.7
(1.77)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.8 11.4 11.5 9.7 9.9 11.5 12.8 11.5 8.0 8.2 9.0 11.3 125.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.6
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima, snow/snow days 2006–2020)

Population and People

Alabaster has grown a lot since it became a city. In 1960, there were only 1,623 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 33,284.

Historical population
Census Pop.
1960 1,623
1970 2,642 62.8%
1980 7,079 167.9%
1990 14,732 108.1%
2000 22,619 53.5%
2010 30,352 34.2%
2020 33,284 9.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, there were over 30,000 people living in Alabaster. The city had about 11,016 households. Many families lived there, with 68% being married couples. About 42% of households had children under 18.

The population was quite diverse. Most residents were White (81.2%), and 15% were Black or African American. About 4.5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. The average age in the city was 35 years old.

Alabaster's Population in 2020

The 2020 census showed continued growth in Alabaster. The total population reached 33,284 people. There were 11,568 households in the city.

The racial makeup in 2020 was:

Alabaster Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 21,791 65.47%
Black or African American 5,300 15.92%
Native American 63 0.19%
Asian 394 1.18%
Pacific Islander 20 0.06%
Other/Mixed 1,500 4.51%
Hispanic or Latino 4,216 12.67%

Alabaster-Helena Census Division

The Alabaster-Helena Census Division was created in 1980. It combines several areas, including parts of Alabaster and nearby cities like Helena and Pelham. This division helps track population changes in a larger region.

Historical population
Census Pop.
1980 33,674
1990 59,090 75.5%
2000 86,781 46.9%
2010 118,831 36.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

City Council Members

The City Council helps run the city of Alabaster. Each member represents a different district. They make important decisions for the community.

District Name Position
1 Mrs. Sophie Martin President
2 Mr. Rick Ellis Councilperson
3 Mrs. Stacy Rakestraw Councilperson
4 Mr. Greg Farrell President Pro-Temp
5 Mr. Jamie Cole Councilperson
6 Zach Zahariadis Councilperson
7 Ms. Kerri Bell-Pate Councilperson

Schools in Alabaster

Alabaster has its own school system, called the Alabaster City Schools System. It started on July 1, 2013. Before that, the schools were part of the Shelby County system.

Here are some of the public schools in Alabaster:

  • Creek View Elementary School
  • Meadow View Elementary School
  • Thompson Intermediate School
  • Thompson Middle School
  • Thompson High School

There are also private schools, like Evangel Christian School.

Transportation Options

ClasTran offers a "dial-a-ride" service in Alabaster. This means you can call to arrange a ride on weekdays.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Alabaster para niños

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