Birmingham is a city located in Jefferson County Alabama. Birmingham has a 2024 population of 195,400. It is also the county seat of Jefferson County. Birmingham is currently declining at a rate of -0.63% annually and its population has decreased by -2.48% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 200,375 in 2020.
The average household income in Birmingham is $65,123 with a poverty rate of 26.09%. The median age in Birmingham is 35.9 years: 34.5 years for males, and 37.8 years for females.
The city was founded in 1871 and was once one of the primary industrial centers of the United States’ southern region. Today, while its industries have changed, it remains one of the country’s most important business and banking centers in the US.
Breaking down the population from the 2010 census shows that almost three-quarters of Birmingham’s total population is Black or African America.
The city is not just ethnically diverse but also is very diverse when it comes to religion. It is the site of many Christian churches, as well as mosques, Hindu temples, and synagogues. The city has the highest ratio of Protestant followers in the country based on 2010 data.
The city also has a very high rate of crime and was ranked 20th in the country based on the highest crime rates. Violent crime has continued to rise over the last few years, particularly in low-income areas. The city is ranked the third most violent in the US.
The city of Birmingham saw population growth through its earliest years, but since the 1970s has posted population losses in every 10-year census. Most recently, the population dropped by over 12% between 2000 and 2010. Estimates from 2017 show that some growth has occurred since the last census in 2010. The high crime rates have contributed to the falling population numbers. “White flight” has also occurred as people move from the city to the suburbs following the loss of jobs. Birmingham’s plans to revitalize the city could contribute to future population growth, and the current numbers showing that it’s on the upswing again could be a positive sign for this Alabama city.
Birmingham was founded in 1871 through the merger of three farm towns. In its earliest years, it became a center for railroad transportation and mining, iron and steel industries. It was developed primarily to use immigrants for cheap labor, whereas other cities at this time were unionized. The city was named after Birmingham, England, which at the time was a leading industrial city.
The city began growing at a rapid rate, although a cholera outbreak and the stock market crash – both which occurred in the 1800s – did slow growth temporarily. However, the early 1900s saw extensive growth and the city became known as “The Magic City.” The Great Depression brought about another set of challenges for Birmingham. As its industries were struggling, farm laborers also flooded the city in hopes of finding employment. It was so bad that the president said that Birmingham was the “worst-hit town” in the US.
However, Birmingham bounced back fairly quickly as demand for steel during World War II boosted the economy. It was during this time that the city’s manufacturing sector also grew, while schools, parks, and museums were erected around the area. The city faced more controversy during the 1950s and 1960s when racially-charged bombings occurred to the homes of black families, and Birmingham became known as “Bombingham.” Martin Luther King, Jr. came to the city to take part in a non-violent demonstration and was jailed in the city, where he wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
In more recent years, the city has focused on urban-renewal efforts and has upgraded its city center, developed the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and has completed other improvements throughout the city. The downtown area is in the process of being reconstructed, bringing in new housing, retail, restaurant and cultural options to bring in new residents and visitors. It has also become a leading business and banking center in the US.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Birmingham was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
Black or African American | 137,487 | 68.6% |
White | 49,861 | 24.88% |
Two or more races | 5,034 | 2.51% |
Other race | 4,677 | 2.33% |
Asian | 2,972 | 1.48% |
Native American | 329 | 0.16% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 71 | 0.04% |
Black or African American
White
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 84,999 | 2.23 | 45.9 | 54.1 |
Non Family | 44,295 | 1.2 | 38.2 | 61.8 |
Married | 19,747 | 3.13 | 68.4 | 31.6 |
Female | 17,311 | 3.63 | 39.3 | 60.7 |
Male | 3,646 | 3.16 | 49.8 | 50.2 |
3.25
Average Family Size
2.23
Average Household Size
45.9%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 12,338 | 8.94% |
Associates Degree | 11,483 | 8.32% |
Bachelors Degree | 24,461 | 17.73% |
Graduate Degree | 16,135 | 11.7% |
High School Graduate | 39,359 | 28.53% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 4,139 | 3% |
Some College | 30,019 | 21.76% |
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 | 92,615 | 80,216 | 16,654 |
White | 36,119 | 34,064 | 20,384 |
Hispanic | 4,029 | 2,705 | 1,002 |
Other Race | 2,699 | 1,874 | 671 |
2+ Races | 2,599 | 2,094 | 763 |
Asian | 2,168 | 2,107 | 1,666 |
Native American | 236 | 182 | 57 |
Islander | 36 | 36 | 23 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 76.85%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $51,396 | $61,825 | $45,628 |
Graduate Degree | $65,688 | $66,821 | $65,349 |
High School Graduate | $28,861 | $33,440 | $25,511 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $22,004 | $27,384 | $17,337 |
Overall | $35,973 | $39,419 | $33,736 |
Some College | $30,837 | $32,941 | $29,062 |
$35,973
Average Earnings
$39,419
Average Male
$33,736
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.13% of Birmingham residents speak only English, while 5.87% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.39% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 133,889 | 39,731 | 29.67% |
White | 42,429 | 6,760 | 15.93% |
Hispanic | 7,750 | 2,182 | 28.15% |
Other | 4,558 | 1,206 | 26.46% |
Multiple | 4,619 | 881 | 19.07% |
Asian | 2,666 | 648 | 24.31% |
Native | 285 | 131 | 45.96% |
Islander | 71 | 13 | 18.31% |
26.09%
Overall Poverty Rate
23.49%
Male Poverty Rate
28.41%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Birmingham is Native, with 45.96% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Birmingham is White, with 15.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.38%. Among those working part-time, it was 31.82%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 36.95%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 36.73% |
High School | 28.24% |
Some College | 19.11% |
Bachelors or Greater | 7.03% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 57.58% |
Male Unemployed | 42.91% |
Female Employed | 13.5% |
Male Employed | 7.57% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $55,541 | $82,087 |
Households | $42,464 | $65,123 |
Married Families | $83,425 | $115,676 |
Non Families | $32,426 | $47,988 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
27.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
29.9%
Male Marriage Rate
25.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, 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
10,294
Number of Veterans
9,560
Male Veterans
734
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 4,061 |
First Gulf War | 1,869 |
Second Gulf War | 1,755 |
Korea | 423 |
World War II | 272 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 3,193 |
55 to 64 | 2,243 |
75+ | 2,102 |
35 to 54 | 1,770 |
18 to 34 | 986 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
Black | 7,587 | 7.17% |
White | 2,379 | 5.21% |
2+ Races | 149 | 4.17% |
Other Race | 86 | 2.72% |
Asian | 66 | 2.46% |
Hispanic | 47 | 0.94% |
Native American | 27 | 10.34% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
14.4%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.42%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57.9%
Labor Force Participation
53.4%
Employment Rate
7.5%
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
76.22%
Born in Birmingham
96.09%
Native Born
3.91%
Foreign Born
3%
Non Citizen
0.91%
Naturalized
96.09% of Birmingham residents were born in the United States, with 76.22% having been born in Alabama. 3% 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 | 189,182 | -1,243 | -0.65% |
2028 | 190,425 | -1,244 | -0.65% |
2027 | 191,669 | -1,244 | -0.64% |
2026 | 192,913 | -1,243 | -0.64% |
2025 | 194,156 | -1,244 | -0.64% |
2024 | 195,400 | -1,244 | -0.63% |
2023 | 196,644 | -243 | -0.12% |
2022 | 196,887 | -988 | -0.5% |
2021 | 197,875 | -2,500 | -1.25% |
2020 | 200,375 | -8,514 | -4.08% |
2019 | 208,889 | -1,194 | -0.57% |
2018 | 210,083 | -1,042 | -0.49% |
2017 | 211,125 | -387 | -0.18% |
2016 | 211,512 | -299 | -0.14% |
2015 | 211,811 | 632 | 0.3% |
2014 | 211,179 | -91 | -0.04% |
2013 | 211,270 | 495 | 0.23% |
2012 | 210,775 | -779 | -0.37% |
2011 | 211,554 | -209 | -0.1% |
2010 | 211,763 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 242,820 | -23,148 | -8.7% |
1990 | 265,968 | -18,445 | -6.49% |
1980 | 284,413 | -16,497 | -5.48% |
1970 | 300,910 | -39,977 | -11.73% |
1960 | 340,887 | 14,850 | 4.55% |
1950 | 326,037 | 58,454 | 21.85% |
1940 | 267,583 | 7,905 | 3.04% |
1930 | 259,678 | 80,872 | 45.23% |
1920 | 178,806 | 46,121 | 34.76% |
1910 | 132,685 | 94,270 | 245.4% |
1900 | 38,415 | 12,237 | 46.75% |
1890 | 26,178 | 23,092 | 748.28% |
1880 | 3,086 | -186,096 | -98.37% |