Neighborhood · Bessemer, AL

Smith Highlands Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 2,661 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.8/10 · range 5.8–5.8

Smith Highlands is a black (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Bessemer with 1 census tract and a population of 2,661 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 64% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 59% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $946/month sits 2% lower than the Bessemer citywide average ($961).

Risk score

5.8

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

Smith Highlands vs Bessemer How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

64.4% +101%

Bessemer: 32.1%

Average gross rent

$946 -2%

Bessemer: $961

Average HH income

$28,684 -24%

Bessemer: $37,844

Poverty rate

27.5% -11%

Bessemer: 30.7%

Renter share

25.1% -41%

Bessemer: 42.6%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Smith Highlands and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 5.8–5.8

Why Smith Highlands scores 5.8

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 1.8–1.8 across tracts

1.8

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.7–5.7 across tracts

5.7

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 6.1–6.1 across tracts

6.1

Rent control risk

64% of income on rent · Range 7.2–7.2 across tracts

7.2

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 1.3–1.3 across tracts

1.3

Tenant organizing strength

25% renter households · Range 8.7–8.7 across tracts

8.7

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 8.2–8.2 across tracts

8.2

Economic stress

27.5% below poverty line · Range 6.9–6.9 across tracts

6.9

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Risk score comparison

Smith Highlands vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Smith Highlands

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
01073010402	5.8	2,661	64%	$946

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 83

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 78%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 99%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 92%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 29%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Smith Highlands

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

83Total filings (sum)
5.12%Avg annual filing rate
21.3%Peak year (2016)
21.31%Latest filed (2016)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Smith Highlands

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

23.1%Housing insecurity
17.5%Utility shutoff threat
33.3%Food insecurity
28.3%SNAP enrollment
11.6%No health insurance
43.2%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Smith Highlands

What is the eviction-risk score for Smith Highlands?

Smith Highlands scores 5.8/10 (Moderate tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Smith Highlands compare to Bessemer overall?

Smith Highlands scores 3.1 points higher than Bessemer overall (2.7/10). Renters spend 64% of income on rent vs 32% citywide. Average rent: $946 vs $961.

What is the average rent in Smith Highlands?

Average gross rent in Smith Highlands is $946/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 64% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Smith Highlands residents are renters?

25% of Smith Highlands households are renter-occupied (vs 43% in Bessemer). The neighborhood has 2,661 residents.

Is Smith Highlands a high social-vulnerability area?

Smith Highlands sits in the 83rd percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Smith Highlands for landlords?

Smith Highlands carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.8/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Bessemer as a whole (2.7/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Smith Highlands?

Smith Highlands has 2,416 residents (Black (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (79.2%), White (non-Hispanic) (12.2%), Hispanic / Latino (7.9%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Smith Highlands

5.7 New Village 2 tracts · pop 7,098 1.5 Highland Crest 2 tracts · pop 10,824 2.6 Chimney Hills 2 tracts · pop 10,664 5.8 Ensley 6 tracts · pop 14,040 2.5 Lakewood Hills 3 tracts · pop 14,569 3.6 Huntington Park 2 tracts · pop 8,055

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Bessemer

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Smith Highlands.

5.8 New Village 2 tracts · pop 7,098 5.9 West Lake Highlands 1 tracts · pop 3,018 5.9 Anns Trailer Court 1 tracts · pop 3,811 4.4 Eastern Valley 1 tracts · pop 2,692 4.2 Pine Crest 1 tracts · pop 4,845 2.7 Parkwood Hills 1 tracts · pop 4,654

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