Moving to Birmingham, Alabama

About Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham

Birmingham ( BUR-ming-ham) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Alabama, and estimated at 196,357 in 2024. The Birmingham metropolitan area had a population of 1.19 million in 2020 and is the largest metropolitan area in Alabama and 47th-most populous in the US. Birmingham serves as a major regional economic, medical, and educational hub of the Deep South, Piedmont, and Appalachian regions.

Founded in 1871 during the Reconstruction era, Birmingham was formed through the merger of three smaller communities, most notably Elyton. It quickly grew into an industrial and transportation center, with a focus on mining, steel production, and railroads. Named for Birmingham, England, the developed with a labor force that included many African Americans from rural Alabama, often employed under non-union conditions. Its rapid industrial growth from 1881 to 1920 earned it the nicknames "The Magic City" and "The Pittsburgh of the South." Though the prominence of mining and heavy industry declined in the late 20th century, Birmingham remains a significant manufacturing center with a diverse economy in banking, telecommunications, transportation, medicine and higher education.

The Birmingham area serves as headquarters to Fortune 500 companies Regions Financial and Vulcan Materials Company, along with multiple other Fortune 1000 companies. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, established in 1969, includes a prominent medical school, dental school, and other professional programs, making it one of the state's leading research institutions. The area also hosts private colleges such as Samford University and Miles College, along with Jefferson State Community College and Lawson State Community College. Birmingham is also home to the headquarters of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), reinforcing its cultural and athletic influence in the region.

Gender
Gender Birmingham Alabama Country
Female 53.3% 51.7% 50.8%
Male 46.7% 48.3% 49.2%
Gender
Created with Raphaël 2.2.053%47%Female53.3%

 Female Male
Household Income
Created with Raphaël 2.2.013%7%13%13%14%17%9%8%3%3%$50K to $75K16.8%

 < $10000 $10K to $15K $15K to $25K $25K to $35K $35K to $50K $50K to $75K $75K to $100K $100K to $150K $150K to $200K $200K or more

Income Birmingham Alabama Country
Less than $10,000 13% 8.1% 5.8%
$10,000 to $14,999 7.2% 5.6% 4.1%
$15,000 to $24,999 13.4% 10.9% 8.5%
$25,000 to $34,999 13% 10.5% 8.6%
$35,000 to $49,999 13.5% 13.2% 12.0%
$50,000 to $74,999 16.8% 17.5% 17.2%
$75,000 to $99,999 9.3% 11.8% 12.8%
$100,000 to $149,999 8.4% 13.1% 15.6%
$150,000 to $199,999 2.8% 4.9% 7.1%
$200,000 or more 2.6% 4.4% 8.3%
Education
Created with Raphaël 2.2.02%10%28%22%8%18%7%3%2%High School or GED28%

 < 9th Grade 9-12th Grade High School or GED Other College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Masters Degree Professional Degree Doctorate Degree

Education Birmingham Alabama Country
< 9th Grade 2% 4% 5.0%
9-12th Grade 10% 9% 7.0%
High School or GED 28% 30% 27.0%
Other College 22% 22% 20.0%
Associate's Degree 8% 9% 9%
Bachelor's Degree 18% 16% 20.0%
Master's Degree 7% 7% 9.0%
Professional Degree 3% 2% 2.0%
Doctorate Degree 2% 1% 1.0%
Household Income
 Birmingham Alabama  Country
Created with Raphaël 2.2.005101520>$200K$150K$200K$100K$150K$75K$100K$50K$75K$35K$50K$25K$35K$15K$25K$10K$15K<$10K138.15.87.25.64.113.410.98.51310.58.613.513.21216.817.517.29.311.812.88.413.115.62.84.97.12.64.48.3
Education
 Birmingham Alabama  Country
Created with Raphaël 2.2.007.51522.530Dr.DegreeProf.DegreeMastersDegreeBachelorDegreeAssociateDegreeOtherCollegeHighSchool9-12thGrade< 9thGrade2451097283027222220899181620779322211
Race / Ethnicity
Created with Raphaël 2.2.025%68%0%1%4%0%2%0%African American68.1%

 White African American American Indian Asian Hispanic Hawaiian Mixed Other

Ethnicity Birmingham Alabama Country
White 24.5% 65.2% 60.1%
African American 68.1% 26.4% 12.2%
American Indian 0.1% 0.4% 0.6%
Asian 1.2% 1.4% 5.6%
Hawaiian 0% 0% 0.2%
Other 0.2% 0.2% 0.3%
Multiracial 1.7% 1.9% 2.8%
Hispanic 4.1% 4.4% 18.2%
Race / Ethnicity
 Birmingham Alabama  Country
Created with Raphaël 2.2.0017.53552.570Hispanic2 or More$OthersHawaiianAsianAmericanIndianAfricanAmericanWhite24.565.260.168.126.412.20.10.40.61.21.45.6000.20.20.20.31.71.92.84.14.418.2