Birmingham, AL

Census Place

Add Comparison

2024 Population

198,173

US Senator

Tommy Tuberville

Republican Party

US Senator

Katie Britt

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

35.6

0.836% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

24.7%

2.04% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$46,051

3.77% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$158,800

14.6% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

91,800

0.928% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Birmingham, AL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.4% of the residents in Birmingham, AL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Birmingham, AL are University of Alabama at Birmingham (6,766 degrees awarded in 2024), Jefferson State Community College (1,425 degrees), and Lawson State Community College (574 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Birmingham, AL was $158,800, and the homeownership rate was 45.5%.

Most people in Birmingham, AL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Birmingham, AL was 2 cars per household.

Photo by Thomas Hawk

United States Alabama Jefferson County, AL Shelby County, AL Birmingham-Hoover, AL Jefferson (Northwest) & Walker Counties--Adamsville, Warrior & Graysville Cities PUMA, AL Jefferson County (West)--Bessemer, Hueytown & Pleasant Grove Cities PUMA, AL Jefferson County (Northeast)--Trussville, Center Point & Gardendale Cities PUMA, AL Birmingham City PUMA, AL Jefferson County (Southeast)--Hoover (North), Vestavia Hills & Homewood Cities PUMA, AL Shelby County (North)--Hoover (South), Alabaster (North) & Pelham Cities PUMA, AL

Population & Diversity

Birmingham, AL is home to a population of 198k people, from which 96.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.64% of Birmingham, AL residents were born outside of the country (9.2k people).

In 2024, there were 2.75 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (132k people) in Birmingham, AL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 48k White (Non-Hispanic) and 3.84k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.4%

2024 Citizenship

96.6%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.4% of Birmingham, AL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Birmingham, AL was 96.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Birmingham, AL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Birmingham, AL

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
132k ± 2.36k
White (Non-Hispanic)
48k ± 2.02k
Other (Hispanic)
3.84k ± 1.17k

4.76%

Hispanic Population

9.43k people

4.76% of the people in Birmingham, AL are hispanic (9.43k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Birmingham, AL as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Alabama.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
53,867 ± 5,668 people
Guatemala
18,373 ± 3,322 people
Korea
11,536 ± 2,634 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alabama was Mexico, the natal country of 53,867 Alabama residents, followed by Guatemala with 18,373 and Korea with 11,536.

Foreign-Born Population

4.64%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

9.2k people

4.36%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

8.69k people

As of 2024, 4.64% of Birmingham, AL residents (9.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Birmingham, AL was 4.36%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Birmingham, AL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,213 ± 473
Gulf War (2001-)
1,763 ± 428
Gulf War (1990s)
1,165 ± 280

Birmingham, AL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.82 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Birmingham, AL.

Health

87.2% of the population of Birmingham, AL has health coverage, with 36.9% on employee plans, 24.7% on Medicaid, 12% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.71% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Alabama see 1,571 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,571 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2016 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 684 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.8% under 18 years, 28.7% between 18 and 34 years, 34.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 16% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12.8%

Uninsured

36.9%

Employer Coverage

24.7%

Medicaid

12%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.71%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Birmingham, AL grew by 2.09% from 12.5% to 12.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Birmingham, AL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Birmingham, AL employs 91.8k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Birmingham, AL were Health Care & Social Assistance (15,490 people), Retail Trade (11,632 people), and Educational Services (8,631 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($115,432), Utilities ($77,486), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($64,167).

Employment

Occupations

91.8k

2024 Value

± 2,836

0.928%

1 Year growth

± 4.35%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Birmingham, AL grew at a rate of 0.928%, from 91k employees to 91.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Birmingham, AL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,076 people), Sales & Related Occupations (8,872 people), and Management Occupations (8,032 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Birmingham, AL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Alabama (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

91.8k

2024 Value

± 2,836

0.928%

1 Year growth

± 4.35%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Birmingham, AL grew at a rate of 0.928%, from 91k employees to 91.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Birmingham, AL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,490 people), Retail Trade (11,632 people), and Educational Services (8,631 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Birmingham, AL, though some of these residents may live in Birmingham, AL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,067

Median earning men ± $1,445

$35,125

Median earning women ± $1,268

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,827), Information ($67,500), and Public Administration ($62,443).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($53,482), Public Administration ($52,869), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,543).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

Y-Axis

2.1%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.13M people employed in Alabama. This represents a 2.1% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.2%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Alabama.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alabama went to Donald J. Trump with 64.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.1%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.533%).

Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt are the senators currently representing the state of Alabama. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Alabama is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Birmingham, AL. Showing the available data for Alabama.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.6%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.1%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.533%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alabama went to Donald J. Trump with 64.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.1%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.533%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Alabama for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Alabama

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

Tommy Tuberville

Senator from Alabama

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Katie Britt

Senator from Alabama

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt are the senators currently representing Alabama.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Alabama over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Birmingham, AL awarded 9,153 degrees. The student population of Birmingham, AL in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 12,982 male students and 22,558 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Birmingham, AL are White (4,574 and 54.4%), Black or African American (2,147 and 25.6%), Asian (514 and 6.12%), and Hispanic or Latino (478 and 5.69%).

The largest universities in Birmingham, AL by number of degrees awarded are University of Alabama at Birmingham (6,766 and 73.9%), Jefferson State Community College (1,425 and 15.6%), and Lawson State Community College (574 and 6.27%).

The most popular majors in Birmingham, AL are Registered Nursing (1,055 and 11.5%), General Studies (507 and 5.54%), and General Computer & Information Sciences (447 and 4.88%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $9,048 for in-state students and $22,512 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Birmingham, AL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 88.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 35,540 (36.5% men and 63.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 35,540 students enrolled in Birmingham, AL, 36.5% men and 63.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 16,478 records, of which 61.4% were women and 38.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
394 degrees awarded
General Psychology
237 degrees awarded
General Biomedical Sciences
165 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Birmingham, AL was Registered Nursing with 394 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Birmingham, AL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Alabama at Birmingham
6,766 degrees awarded
Jefferson State Community College
1,425 degrees awarded
Lawson State Community College
574 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Alabama at Birmingham with 6,766 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 3,433 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Birmingham, AL, which is 0.6 times less than the 5,720 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,574 degrees mean that there were 2.13 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,147 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($15,138) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,872) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Birmingham, AL was $158,800 in 2024, which is 0.477 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $138,600 to $158,800, a 14.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Birmingham, AL is 45.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Birmingham, AL have an average commute time of 20.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Birmingham, AL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$158,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,824

$40,402

Median Property Taxes

±$1,697

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Birmingham, AL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Birmingham, AL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

45.5%

Homeownership

2024

64.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 45.5% of the housing units in Birmingham, AL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 45.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Birmingham, AL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$46,051

Median Household Income

± $1,718

88.8k

Number of Households

± 2,653

In 2024, the median household income of the 88.8k households in Birmingham, AL grew to $46,051 from the previous year's value of $44,376.

The following chart displays the households in Birmingham, AL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Birmingham, AL is from Alabama.

0.454

2024 Wage GINI in Alabama

0.456

2023 Wage GINI in Alabama

In 2024, the income inequality in Alabama was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.411% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Alabama was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alabama in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alabama across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.7%)
Worked At Home (9.91%)
Carpooled (9.51%)

In 2024, 73.7% of workers in Birmingham, AL drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.91%) and those who carpooled to work (9.51%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

20.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Birmingham, AL have a shorter commute time (20.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.05% of the workforce in Birmingham, AL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Birmingham, AL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Birmingham, AL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Birmingham, AL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

24.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Birmingham, AL (46.7k out of 189k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Birmingham, AL is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.