Downtown Birmingham (Old Woodward Core)
Empty Nesters, Young-ish Professionals, Small Families
The Vibe
Downtown Birmingham is centered on Old Woodward Avenue between Maple and Willits. It's the heart of the city for social life and bigger community gathering events. Restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, the movie theater, two performing arts theaters, and Shain Park offer locals (and neighboring town visitors), and most events are concentrated here. Sidewalks are busy most days and evenings.
Schools
- Typically zoned for Pierce Elementary
- Derby Middle School or Covington Middle School (varies by address)
- Seaholm High School
Housing snapshot
- Condos, apartments, and some townhomes
- Median home price: ~$700K–$1.5M+
- Rent: ~$2,700–$3,800
Similar neighborhoods
- Downtown Royal Oak
Rail District Neighborhood
Empty Nesters, Professionals,
The Vibe:
The Rail District is an up-and-coming neighborhood near the old Birmingham Train Station. It's east of downtown near the train tracks, closer to Woodward Avenue.**** It's a neighborhood drawing more young-ish professionals (still very expensive, so not that young), couples, and empty-nesters looking for slightly cheaper options than Downtown B'ham.
It's primarily residential with condos and townhomes, and some single-family home blocks. It's walkable to downtown, but far enough that many residents drive instead, especially at night or during winter. Also blocks away from a massive Whole Foods and Kroger's grocery stores.
Schools
- Typically zoned for Pierce Elementary
- Derby Middle School (walkable)
- Seaholm High School
Housing snapshot
- Condos and townhomes
- Median home price: ~$600K–$1.2m+
- Rent: ~$2,300–$3,200
Similar neighborhoods
- Edge-of-downtown Royal Oak
- Parts of Ferndale near Woodward
Quarton Lake Estates
Established Families
The Vibe
Quarton Lake Estates is a beloved neighborhood just south and west of downtown, near Quarton Lake. The homes are beautiful, and the streets are filled with massive, shade trees. All that aside, it is the lake that drives much of the appreciation. Surrounded by some of the most prized homes in the state, but also old-growth trees and greenery, it's one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the country.
The wide streets are quiet, with outsized homes and a friendlier walk or bike to downtown. It has a great public school, Quarton Elementary, right in the heart of the neighborhood, creating a culture of tightness among the families that walk or bike to school.
Schools
- Typically zoned for Quarton Elementary
- Covington Middle School
- Seaholm High School
Housing snapshot
- Large single-family homes
- Median home price: ~$1.2M–$3M+
Similar neighborhoods
- Close-in Bloomfield Hills
- Huntington Woods (different housing stock)
Midvale / Pierce District Neighborhood
Younger Families, DINKs
The Vibe
This area is west of downtown near Pierce Elementary School (excellent public school) and is known for smaller lots, some older homes, and some new/rebuild homes with younger family relocators. It's appreciated because it is walkable to downtown but also has a friendlier vibe than some locals would say the fancier blocks of the city possess. Although you get the excellent schools, and it's expensive by metro standards, you can get in for less than the neighborhoods like Quarton Lake Estates.
Schools
- Pierce Elementary
- Derby Middle School
- Seaholm High School
Housing snapshot
- Single-family homes
- Median home price: ~$750K–$1.1M
Similar neighborhoods
- Huntington Woods
- Pleasant Ridge
Poppleton Park Neighborhood
Families with Younger Kids, Long-time Locals
The Vibe
Poppleton Park is another beloved neighborhood in Birmingham. It's east of downtown, and known for beautiful older homes, shaded blocks, and, most critically, it is centered around Poppleton Park, a massive open and green space with sports fields, courts, and tons of grass for non-structured play.
Homes have gotten expensive as families sought proximity to the park and the classic homes that came at a slightly lower price point than the more celebrated west-side of the city neighborhoods. The streets are quieter than downtown, but walkable to there as well as to Derby Middle School.
Schools
- Typically zoned for Pembroke Elementary
- Derby Middle School
- Seaholm High School
Housing snapshot
- Single-family homes, many renovated or rebuilt
- Median home price: ~$850K–$1.2M
Similar neighborhoods
- Huntington Woods near Rackham Park
- Parts of Pleasant Ridge near community parks