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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Birmingham

Alabama · 265,852 residents · 147 sq mi
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The short version

Birmingham is a city of 265,852 people in Alabama. The poverty rate is 24.8%, above the 13.2% national rate. Median home value sits at $43,900. Owners hold 53% of the housing stock. Households take in $19,193 at the median, 36% less than the US figure. That trails the Alabama median by roughly 19%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.9
US median: 33.0
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 7%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

265,852
+9%vs 2000
vs 242,820 in 2000
1990 – 2025
32.9
−4%vs 2000
vs 34.3 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
147 sq mi
Population, 19902024
191K212K232K252K273K19902000201020202024Birmingham
2024198K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.4%(19,674)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.2%(19,120)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(18,115)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.8%(18,152)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.7%(20,462)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3417.8%(47,380)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.4%(38,233)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.4%(22,300)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.6%(22,968)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748%(21,395)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.1%(13,684)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.6%(4,369)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$19,193
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $26,735 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$10,127
−35%vs 2000
vs $15,663 in 2000
US average: $14,340
24.8%
+0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 24.7% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$43,900
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $62,200 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$322
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $446 in 2000
US average: $450
53.4%
−0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 53.7% in 2000
46.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic23.5%(57,096)
Black73.2%(177,709)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(3,764)
Asian0.8%(1,900)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic35.7%(94,988)
Black63.4%(168,464)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(1,175)
Asian0.7%(1,734)
Other0.3%(666)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.5%(4,951)
Guatemalan0.5%(992)
Puerto Rican0.4%(854)
Honduran0.2%(425)
Salvadoran0.2%(359)
Cuban0.2%(349)
Venezuelan0.2%(334)
Colombian0.1%(158)
Argentine0.1%(114)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(856)
Chinese0.3%(629)
Vietnamese0.2%(455)
Korean0.1%(224)
Filipino0.1%(132)
Pakistani0%(81)
Nepalese0%(80)
Thai0%(78)
Taiwanese0%(65)
Japanese0%(58)
Laotian0%(28)
Hmong0%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(109)
Chamorro0%(20)
Ancestry
American9.4%(18,603)
English4.6%(9,046)
German3.1%(6,101)
Irish2.9%(5,809)
Scottish1.2%(2,407)
Italian1.1%(2,091)
Arab0.8%(1,559)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(1,477)
French0.7%(1,414)
West Indian0.5%(971)
Moroccan0.4%(801)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.4%(707)
Finnish0.3%(545)
British0.3%(515)
Jamaican0.2%(484)
Norwegian0.2%(428)
Nigerian0.2%(421)
Kenyan0.2%(368)
Greek0.2%(350)
Welsh0.2%(345)
Lebanese0.2%(310)
Guyanese0.2%(299)
Swiss0.1%(230)
Egyptian0.1%(215)
Dutch0.1%(199)
Haitian0.1%(164)
Russian0.1%(160)
Hungarian0.1%(145)
Swedish0.1%(139)
Iranian0.1%(138)
Danish0%(94)
Belgian0%(91)
Brazilian0%(90)
Romanian0%(74)
Slovene0%(69)
Jordanian0%(62)
Czech0%(47)
Austrian0%(44)
Slovak0%(37)
Syrian0%(26)
Croatian0%(25)
Ukrainian0%(25)
Canadian0%(11)
Ethiopian0%(11)
Section 05

Education

16.2%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 18.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
69.3%
−6.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.5% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
5.8%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

18.2 min
+27%vs 2000
vs 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married52.6%(40,489)
Married32%(24,613)
Widowed3.3%(2,564)
Divorced12%(9,256)
Women 15+
Never married48.4%(43,548)
Married26.7%(24,003)
Widowed10%(8,985)
Divorced14.9%(13,438)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

12.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2013
from 17.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
43.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 44.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 11.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
19.5%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
28.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 28.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
53.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 54.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 43.5% 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)21.1%(1,763)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.5%(1,544)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.5%(3,300)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3%(253)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.3%(191)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,362 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Birmingham, Alabama?

Birmingham, Alabama has about 265,852 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Birmingham, Alabama?

The typical household in Birmingham, Alabama earns about $19,193 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Birmingham, Alabama expensive?

In Birmingham, Alabama, the median home is worth about $43,900, and the typical rent is about $322 a month.

How educated are people in Birmingham, Alabama?

About 16.2% of adults age 25 and over in Birmingham, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Birmingham, Alabama?

About 24.8% of people in Birmingham, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →