Crestwood Birmingham is part of Jefferson County and located just minutes from downtown, the airport and all of their main thoroughfares. The residents in this community have managed to do what many other neighborhoods around the nation are struggling to do. They have created a place where residents embrace diversity and work toward the common goal of keeping the area beautiful and improving the quality of life for the people who live there.
The homes in Crestwood represent a range of styles from small bungalows to townhomes, to larger family homes. Initially, it may seem that all of the homes in this area are owned, but only 55 percent of them are owned and the other 45 percent are rented. This means that sometimes the permanent residents have to contend with a busy transient population. Some of the homes are rented with the option to buy, so some residents who start off renting will initially make the commitment to buy. Though the median list price for the homes in Crestwood is more than $300,000, most of the people who live there pay less than $600 a month for loan payments or rent.
Twenty-eight percent of the people who live in Crestwood live as single residents, and 15 percent of them are married without children. Although only 16 percent of the residents in the neighborhood have children, it is an ideal community for people with children or people who want to eventually add to their families.
The culture in Crestwood is one of acceptance and unity, and can serve as an example to other cities across Alabama. The residents look out for each other and manage to keep crime on the low end of the spectrum when compared to the overall crime rate in Birmingham. In addition to being one of the most inspiring communities in the city, it is one of the most diverse. While the population in Birmingham as a whole is more than 75 percent African-American, Crestwood itself is 53 percent Caucasian and 33 percent African-American.
The area has a few eclectic mom-and-pop boutiques, coffee shops and taverns scattered up and down the commercial areas, but nothing substantial in the way of thriving businesses or recreational facilities. Thankfully, downtown and all of its restaurants and shopping complexes are only a 10 to 20 minute drive away. Additionally, Crestwood is convenient to the University of Alabama in Birmingham, so the single-resident bungalows are popular among students who attend the university.
The quality of life among the residents in Crestwood varies. Some of them live modest lives, while others live middle and upper middle class lifestyles. There are also a handful of residents who are financially very well off and live in some of the larger homes in the area. Thirty-four percent of the residents earn less than $30,000 annually, 32 percent of them earn between $30,000 and $74,000, twenty percent of them earn between $75,000 and $149,000 and 14 percent earn more than $150,000 per year.
The educational levels among the residents are as varied as their incomes; however, Crestwood contains a congestion of the cities educated population. Forty-six percent of the residents have bachelor's degrees, 27 percent of them have graduate degrees and 19 percent of them have high school diplomas. Only 9 percent of residents in Crestwood did not graduate from high school. Thirty percent of the residents are employed in health and education, and 17 percent of them work in professional occupations. Many of the people employed in the healthcare field work at UAB hospital, which is currently one of the largest employers in Birmingham.
Only five percent of the residents are willing to walk where they need to go. The area that makes up Crestwood is rather large, so unless you are just out for a leisurely stroll, walking everywhere you need to go is not very practical. There are a few small shops and eateries scattered throughout the immediate area that are within walking distance, but for the most part, residents are better off having their own private vehicles or carpooling if they want to conveniently access malls, fitness centers, museums, parks and other commercial facilities.
There is public transportation available, but only a handful of people use it. This mode of transportation is costly and not very efficient. Additionally, standing on the bus stop in the heat and cold of the south is something most people in Crestwood are not willing to do.
Crestwood is best known for its residents' efforts to maintain a sense of comradery in the community, despite its large size. The community has formed an organization that collects voluntary membership donations to organize community events that are designed to bring residents together. A favorite community event is the Crest Fest festival that takes place in the fall. During this event, members of the community come together to celebrate the changing of the seasons while getting better acquainted with each other.
The inspiring community spirit of Crestwood is contagious. Residents who move here are quickly welcomed into the fold, and they eventually appreciate and embrace the comrade that makes this community one of Birmingham's finest.
