Bessemer is a city located in Jefferson County Alabama. Bessemer has a 2024 population of 24,711. Bessemer is currently declining at a rate of -1.3% annually and its population has decreased by -5.01% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 26,014 in 2020.
The average household income in Bessemer is $52,335 with a poverty rate of 32.04%. The median age in Bessemer is 41.8 years: 36.5 years for males, and 47.6 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Bessemer was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 18,628 | 71.95% |
| White | 4,989 | 19.27% |
| Two or more races | 1,113 | 4.3% |
| Other race | 1,047 | 4.04% |
| Native American | 61 | 0.24% |
| Asian | 52 | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
Black or African American
White
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 10,316 | 2.43 | 54.3 | 45.7 |
| Non Family | 4,758 | 1.12 | 47.6 | 52.4 |
| Female | 2,662 | 3.94 | 43.9 | 56.1 |
| Married | 2,406 | 3.09 | 78.8 | 21.2 |
| Male | 490 | 3.71 | 56.3 | 43.7 |
3.43
Average Family Size
2.43
Average Household Size
54.3%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,807 | 10.06% |
| Associates Degree | 1,144 | 6.37% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,590 | 8.85% |
| Graduate Degree | 863 | 4.81% |
| High School Graduate | 7,318 | 40.76% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 774 | 4.31% |
| Some College | 4,460 | 24.84% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 12,598 | 10,882 | 1,798 |
| White | 4,212 | 3,649 | 479 |
| Hispanic | 679 | 453 | 59 |
| 2+ Races | 563 | 487 | 112 |
| Other Race | 400 | 276 | 59 |
| Asian | 52 | 37 | 5 |
| Native American | 43 | 11 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 86.63%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among 2+ races people with a rate of 19.89%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $49,688 | $57,688 | $46,867 |
| Graduate Degree | $40,602 | $16,950 | $57,500 |
| High School Graduate | $30,978 | $36,782 | $26,136 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $28,333 | $34,802 | $21,915 |
| Overall | $34,099 | $38,238 | $31,412 |
| Some College | $30,583 | $37,806 | $28,438 |
$34,099
Average Earnings
$38,238
Average Male
$31,412
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.24% of Bessemer residents speak only English, while 5.76% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.1% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 18,390 | 5,486 | 29.83% |
| Hispanic | 1,670 | 1,167 | 69.88% |
| White | 4,476 | 861 | 19.24% |
| Multiple | 1,106 | 856 | 77.4% |
| Other | 1,047 | 717 | 68.48% |
| Asian | 40 | 20 | 50% |
| Native | 61 | 15 | 24.59% |
32.04%
Overall Poverty Rate
30.54%
Male Poverty Rate
33.33%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Bessemer is Multiple, with 77.4% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Bessemer is White, with 19.24% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.56%. Among those working part-time, it was 30.91%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 37.32%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 34.38% |
| High School | 25.66% |
| Some College | 25.55% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 13.89% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 59.09% |
| Male Unemployed | 30.02% |
| Female Employed | 14.88% |
| Male Employed | 8.44% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $48,803 | $65,473 |
| Households | $34,953 | $52,335 |
| Married Families | $71,288 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $23,919 | $34,640 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
26.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
29.7%
Male Marriage Rate
23.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,678
Number of Veterans
1,462
Male Veterans
216
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 745 |
| Second Gulf War | 198 |
| First Gulf War | 167 |
| Korea | 141 |
| World War II | 40 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 55 to 64 | 503 |
| 75+ | 452 |
| 65 to 74 | 447 |
| 35 to 54 | 156 |
| 18 to 34 | 120 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 900 | 6.08% |
| White | 758 | 17% |
| 2+ Races | 20 | 3.04% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
12.05%
Veteran Poverty Rate
52.23%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
49.9%
Labor Force Participation
44.5%
Employment Rate
10.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
84.09%
Born in Bessemer
97.08%
Native Born
2.92%
Foreign Born
2.34%
Non Citizen
0.58%
Naturalized
97.08% of Bessemer residents were born in the United States, with 84.09% having been born in Alabama. 2.34% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 23,082 | -326 | -1.39% |
| 2028 | 23,408 | -326 | -1.37% |
| 2027 | 23,734 | -325 | -1.35% |
| 2026 | 24,059 | -326 | -1.34% |
| 2025 | 24,385 | -326 | -1.32% |
| 2024 | 24,711 | -326 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 25,037 | -251 | -0.99% |
| 2022 | 25,288 | -360 | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 25,648 | -366 | -1.41% |
| 2020 | 26,014 | -237 | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 26,251 | -119 | -0.45% |
| 2018 | 26,370 | -60 | -0.23% |
| 2017 | 26,430 | -85 | -0.32% |
| 2016 | 26,515 | -214 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 26,729 | -186 | -0.69% |
| 2014 | 26,915 | -130 | -0.48% |
| 2013 | 27,045 | -158 | -0.58% |
| 2012 | 27,203 | -146 | -0.53% |
| 2011 | 27,349 | -52 | -0.19% |
| 2010 | 27,401 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 29,672 | -3,825 | -11.42% |
| 1990 | 33,497 | 1,768 | 5.57% |
| 1980 | 31,729 | -1,699 | -5.08% |
| 1970 | 33,428 | 374 | 1.13% |
| 1960 | 33,054 | 4,609 | 16.2% |
| 1950 | 28,445 | 5,619 | 24.62% |
| 1940 | 22,826 | 2,105 | 10.16% |
| 1930 | 20,721 | 2,047 | 10.96% |
| 1920 | 18,674 | 7,810 | 71.89% |
| 1910 | 10,864 | 4,506 | 70.87% |
| 1900 | 6,358 | 1,814 | 39.92% |
| 1890 | 4,544 | -18,538 | -80.31% |