The Town FilesSylvan Springs, Alabama
Town in Jefferson County · population 1,653 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,000
- Household income
- $81,927
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 44.0
Sylvan Springs is a town of 1,653 people in Jefferson County, Alabama. The median home is worth $217,000, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks more upscale than 90% of Alabama towns, more of a college town than 85% of Alabama towns, better for families than 83% of Alabama towns.
How Sylvan Springs ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sylvan Springs is worth $217,000, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $81,927, which is more affordable than 69% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $1,313 a month. 83.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sylvan Springs | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,000 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $1,313 | $834 |
| Median household income | $81,927 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.0% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sylvan Springs
| People | Sylvan Springs | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Sylvan Springs
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 33.8°F. About 55.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 80 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylvan Springs since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 16 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 8, 1998 about 2.3 miles from the town center and killed 32. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 101 deaths and 1,335 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on November 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 2, 2003.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| December 21, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4632: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 26, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4596: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 367,081 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,562 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Sylvan Springs itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Towns near Sylvan Springs
- Mulga, AL3.8 mi · 784 people · home $63,100
- Pleasant Grove, AL3.9 mi · 9,544 people · home $226,400
- Edgewater, AL4.5 mi · 746 people · home —
- Rock Creek, AL4.7 mi · 1,471 people · home $147,900
- Concord, AL4.7 mi · 1,690 people · home $173,500
- Minor, AL5.3 mi · 1,088 people · home $94,900
- McDonald Chapel, AL5.4 mi · 739 people · home $134,400
- Adamsville, AL6.1 mi · 4,366 people · home $145,700
Sylvan Springs questions
Is Sylvan Springs, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sylvan Springs scores better for retirees than 43% of Alabama towns and quieter than 36%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Sylvan Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Sylvan Springs is valued at $217,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,927, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,313 a month.
What is the weather like in Sylvan Springs?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 33.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Sylvan Springs get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylvan Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 8, 1998. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)