Bessemer, AL

Census Place

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2022 Population

25,890

1.07% 1-year decline

US Senator

Tommy Tuberville

Republican Party

US Senator

Katie Britt

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

41.8

0.476% 1-year decrease

2022 Poverty Rate

32%

11.3% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$34,953

7.83% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$118,600

16% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Bessemer, AL had a population of 25.9k people with a median age of 41.8 and a median household income of $34,953. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Bessemer, AL declined from 26,171 to 25,890, a −1.07% decrease and its median household income grew from $32,416 to $34,953, a 7.83% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bessemer, AL are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (72%), White (Non-Hispanic) (18.4%), Other (Hispanic) (4.04%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.04%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.26%).

None of the households in Bessemer, AL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.7% of the residents in Bessemer, AL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bessemer, AL are Brown Beauty Barber School (39 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Bessemer, AL was $118,600, and the homeownership rate was 54.3%.

Most people in Bessemer, AL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Bessemer, AL was 2 cars per household.

United States Alabama Jefferson County, AL Birmingham-Hoover, AL Jefferson County (West)--Bessemer, Hueytown & Pleasant Grove Cities PUMA, AL Birmingham City PUMA, AL Jefferson County (Southeast)--Hoover (North), Vestavia Hills & Homewood Cities PUMA, AL

Population & Diversity

Bessemer, AL is home to a population of 25.9k people, from which 97.7% are citizens. As of 2022, 2.92% of Bessemer, AL residents were born outside of the country (756 people).

In 2022, there were 3.92 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (18.6k people) in Bessemer, AL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.75k White (Non-Hispanic) and 1.05k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

97.7%

2022 Citizenship

98.1%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 97.7% of Bessemer, AL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Bessemer, AL was 98.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bessemer, AL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bessemer, AL

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
18.6k ± 1.05k
White (Non-Hispanic)
4.75k ± 803
Other (Hispanic)
1.05k ± 657

6.45%

Hispanic Population

1.67k people

6.45% of the people in Bessemer, AL are hispanic (1.67k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bessemer, AL as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

2.92%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

756 people

2.28%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

598 people

As of 2022, 2.92% of Bessemer, AL residents (756 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bessemer, AL was 2.28%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bessemer, AL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
696 ± 194
Gulf War (2001-)
198 ± 104
Korea
133 ± 82

Bessemer, AL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.52 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bessemer, AL employs 9.3k people. The largest industries in Bessemer, AL are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,581 people), Retail Trade (1,464 people), and Manufacturing (1,119 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($74,605), Finance & Insurance ($62,628), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($58,625).

Employment

Occupations

9.3k

2022 Value

± 897

−2.08%

1 Year decline

± 13.7%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Bessemer, AL declined at a rate of −2.08%, from 9.5k employees to 9.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bessemer, AL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,236 people), Material Moving Occupations (986 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (960 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bessemer, AL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Alabama (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

9.3k

2022 Value

± 897

−2.08%

1 Year decline

± 13.7%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Bessemer, AL declined at a rate of −2.08%, from 9.5k employees to 9.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bessemer, AL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,581 people), Retail Trade (1,464 people), and Manufacturing (1,119 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bessemer, AL, though some of these residents may live in Bessemer, AL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$34,371

Median earning men ± $5,529

$28,360

Median earning women ± $4,657

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($58,810), Public Administration ($49,598), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,522).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,505), Public Administration ($36,685), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($33,964).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

Y-Axis

2.1%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.13M people employed in Alabama. This represents a 2.1% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.2%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Alabama.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Alabama went to Donald J. Trump with 62% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.08%).

Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt are the senators currently representing the state of Alabama. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Alabama is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Bessemer, AL. Showing the available data for Alabama.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (62%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.08%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Alabama went to Donald J. Trump with 62% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.08%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Alabama for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Alabama

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

Tommy Tuberville

Senator from Alabama

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Katie Britt

Senator from Alabama

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt are the senators currently representing Alabama.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Alabama over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Alabama

Alabama is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Alabama have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Bessemer, AL awarded 39 degrees. The student population of Bessemer, AL in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 37 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bessemer, AL are Black or African American (36 and 92.3%), followed by White (3 and 7.69%), Asian (0 and 0%), and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (0 and 0%).

The largest universities in Bessemer, AL by number of degrees awarded are Brown Beauty Barber School (39 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Bessemer, AL are General Cosmetology (22 and 56.4%), Barbering (15 and 38.5%), and Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor (2 and 5.13%).

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

Measure

In 2022, 0.905% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.822% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alabama.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.23M), Some college (913k), and Secondary Education (625k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bessemer, AL was $118,600 in 2022, which is 0.421 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $102,200 to $118,600, a 16% increase. The homeownership rate in Bessemer, AL is 54.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Bessemer, AL have an average commute time of 24.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bessemer, AL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bessemer, AL is $34,953. In 2022, the place with the highest median household income in Bessemer, AL was Census Tract 141.05 with a value of $58,239, followed by Census Tract 143.01 and Census Tract 104.01, with respective values of $45,308 and $42,171.

Property

$118,600

Median Property Value 2022

±$14,535

$5,604

Median Property Taxes

±$697

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bessemer, AL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bessemer, AL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

54.3%

Homeownership

2022

69.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 54.3% of the housing units in Bessemer, AL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 53.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bessemer, AL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 141.05
Census Tract 143.01
Census Tract 104.01

In 2022, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bessemer, AL was Census Tract 141.05 with a value of $58,239, followed by Census Tract 143.01 and Census Tract 104.01, with respective values of $45,308 and $42,171.

The following map shows all of the places in Bessemer, AL colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$34,953

Median Household Income

± $3,488

10.3k

Number of Households

± 903

In 2022, the median household income of the 10.3k households in Bessemer, AL grew to $34,953 from the previous year's value of $32,416.

The following chart displays the households in Bessemer, AL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bessemer, AL is from Alabama.

0.458

2022 Wage GINI in Alabama

0.458

2021 Wage GINI in Alabama

In 2022, the income inequality in Alabama was 0.458 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0777% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Alabama was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alabama in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alabama across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (76.7%)
Carpooled (10.8%)
Worked At Home (8.36%)

In 2022, 76.7% of workers in Bessemer, AL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.8%) and those who worked at home (8.36%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bessemer, AL have a shorter commute time (24.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.47% of the workforce in Bessemer, AL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bessemer, AL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bessemer, AL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bessemer, AL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

32% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bessemer, AL (8.12k out of 25.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 6 - 11, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bessemer, AL is Black, followed by Hispanic and White.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

85.8% of the population of Bessemer, AL has health coverage, with 27.2% on employee plans, 30.5% on Medicaid, 14.7% on Medicare, 10.9% on non-group plans, and 2.53% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, AL see 875 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.8% decrease from the previous year (891 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1107 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 443 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Jefferson County, AL.

875 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Jefferson County, AL

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, AL see an average of 875 patients per year. This represents a 1.8% decrease from the previous year (891 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Jefferson County, AL in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.9% under 18 years, 19.9% between 18 and 34 years, 37.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.5% were men and 54.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

14.2%

Uninsured

27.2%

Employer Coverage

30.5%

Medicaid

14.7%

Medicare

10.9%

Non-Group

2.53%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bessemer, AL grew by 5.27% from 13.5% to 14.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bessemer, AL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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