United States › Alabama › Bessemer CITY · 2010 ACS
Bessemer Alabama · 27,456 residents · 40.5 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Bessemer is a city of 27,456 people in Alabama. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate. Median home value sits at $81,700. The poverty rate is 26.5%, above the 13.8% national rate. Households here earn about 34% less than in Alabama as a whole. 2% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 38.0
US median: 37.2
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K 27K 29K 32K 34K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Bessemer Age distribution, 2010
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $27,590
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,066 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $12,232 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 27.2% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Professional, scientific, technical 5.1%
Public administration 4.6%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Education & health services 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$81,700
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,400 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$624
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $382 in 2000
US average: $853
from 59.2% in 2000
43.8% rent
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 32.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 47.1% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 28.5%(8,458)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(338)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 23.6%(6,482)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(1,113)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 67.4% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.2 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 84.3% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 50.4%(4,778)
Women 15+
Never married 36.9%(4,187)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 32.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 47.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 13.2%(199)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.2%(275)
Share of the 1,513 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Bessemer Head to head
Compare Bessemer to nearby cities BESSEMER VS
Hueytown
Income $62,784 +128%
Home value $155,300 +90%
Population 16,159 −35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BESSEMER VS
McCalla
Income $87,468 +217%
Home value $279,900 +243%
Population 13,253 −47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BESSEMER VS
Fairfield
Income $48,456 +76%
Home value $129,300 +58%
Population 9,483 −62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BESSEMER VS
Helena
Income $115,139 +317%
Home value $330,700 +305%
Population 23,388 −6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Bessemer, Alabama? Bessemer, Alabama has about 27,456 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Bessemer, Alabama? The typical household in Bessemer, Alabama earns about $27,590 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Bessemer, Alabama expensive? In Bessemer, Alabama, the median home is worth about $81,700, and the typical rent is about $624 a month.
How educated are people in Bessemer, Alabama? About 13.2% of adults age 25 and over in Bessemer, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Bessemer, Alabama? About 26.5% of people in Bessemer, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Bessemer, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Bessemer, Alabama has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,041 residents, a change of about -18 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 