City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Birmingham, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Birmingham - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

199,322
Residents
$44,376
Median income
$138,600
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Birmingham - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Birmingham places in the 12th percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

12th
percentile, household income
23rd
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
3rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Birmingham, AL

Alabama's Birmingham is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 199,322 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Birmingham households earn a median of $44,376 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.4%. Home values in Birmingham run a median of $138,600, and the median resident age is 35.9 years. 30.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 676 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 245% from five years earlier. Birmingham's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 5278.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Birmingham's yearly average temperature at 63.9°F with 56.6 inches of precipitation per year and 1.4 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alabama scores 88.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,266 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alabama run around $245, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 19.6 minutes, with 74.4% driving alone and 8.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

199,322 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$44,376 /yr

Poverty 19.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Birmingham compare to other US cities?

Birmingham measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 12% higher than other cities
Home value 23% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alabama alone, Birmingham ranks #217 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Birmingham's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

12thIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

12th percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Birmingham's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Birmingham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Birmingham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Birmingham's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$138,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 77% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Birmingham $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Birmingham, AL Birmingham, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Birmingham, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Birmingham, AL median $44,376/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Birmingham, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Birmingham, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
199,322
Median Income
$44,376
Median Home Value
$138,600
Median Age
35.9
Poverty Rate
19.4%
Labor force participation
54.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5278.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1246.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4031.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
63.9°F
Annual Precipitation
56.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.4"

Schools

Total Schools
59
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
194,000 residents196,000 residents198,000 residents200,000 residents202,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 200,226 residents 195,893 residents ▼ -2.2%
Birmingham's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
676
housing units authorized
Single-Family
95
detached homes
Multifamily
581
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 196
2020 208
2021 637
2022 1,211
2023 439
2024 676

Permit volume increased 245% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.6 minutes
Drive Alone
74.4%
Carpool
9.7%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
3.4%
Work from Home
8.5%
Other
2.7%

Based on 89,160 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Birmingham sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Montgomery
198,440 people
Mobile
185,097 people
Huntsville
218,814 people
Tuscaloosa
107,699 people
Hoover
92,401 people
Auburn
78,738 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Birmingham's 199,322 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sunrise Manor, NV
199,099 people
Tallahassee, FL
199,696 people
Grand Prairie, TX
198,564 people
Grand Rapids, MI
197,768 people
Amarillo, TX
200,945 people
Sioux Falls, SD
197,642 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Birmingham's $44,376 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Larsen Bay, AK
$44,375 median income
Humnoke, AR
$44,375 median income
Fairmead, CA
$44,375 median income
Taylorsville, GA
$44,375 median income
Switz City, IN
$44,375 median income
Earling, IA
$44,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Birmingham, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Birmingham, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 25.6% 67.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.9% White 25.6% Black or African American 67.1% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 3.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Birmingham compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Birmingham (this city) 199,322 $44,376
Montgomery 198,440 $55,687
Mobile 185,097 $51,090
Huntsville 218,814 $70,778
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Birmingham, AL?

What is the population of Birmingham, AL? +

The population of Birmingham, AL stands at 199,322 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Birmingham, AL? +

Median annual household income in Birmingham runs $44,376, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Birmingham? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Birmingham; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Birmingham, AL safe? +

Birmingham has a total crime rate of 5278.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Birmingham, AL? +

Homes in Birmingham carry a median value of $138,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Birmingham? +

Climate normals put Birmingham's yearly average temperature at 63.9°F, 56.6 inches of precipitation, and 1.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.