Birmingham, AL

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Population

212,265

0.0749% decline

Median Age

35.7


Median Household Income

$33,770

4.22% growth

Poverty Rate

28.1%


Number of Employees

93,129

2.08% growth

Median Property Value

$86,900

0.23% decline

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Birmingham, AL had a population of 212k people with a median age of 35.7 and a median household income of $33,770. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Birmingham, AL declined from 212,424 to 212,265, a -0.0749% decrease and its median household income grew from $32,404 to $33,770, a 4.22% increase.

The population of Birmingham, AL is 71.3% Black or African American Alone, 22.8% White Alone, and 3.45% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in Birmingham, AL speak a non-English language, and 97.4% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Birmingham, AL are University of Alabama at Birmingham (5,032 degrees awarded in 2017), Jefferson State Community College (1,307 degrees), and Virginia College-Birmingham (852 degrees).

The median property value in Birmingham, AL is $86,900, and the homeownership rate is 46.1%. Most people in Birmingham, AL commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 21.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Birmingham, AL is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Thomas Hawk

United StatesAlabamaJefferson County, ALShelby County, ALBirmingham-Hoover, ALShelby County PUMA, ALHoover (North), Vestavia Hills & Homewood Cities PUMA, ALBessemer, Hueytown & Pleasant Grove Cities PUMA, ALBirmingham City (East) PUMA, ALBirmingham City (West) PUMA, ALTrussville, Center Point & Gardendale Cities PUMA, AL

Economy

The economy of Birmingham, AL employs 93.1k people. The largest industries in Birmingham, AL are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,294 people), Retail Trade (10,756 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,611 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($53,000), Utilities ($52,467), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($49,276).

Median household income in Birmingham, AL is $33,770. Males in Birmingham, AL have an average income that is 1.44 times higher than the average income of females, which is $40,615. The income inequality in Birmingham, AL (measured using the Gini index) is 0.46, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$33,770

2017 value

± $993

4.22%

1 Year Growth

± 4.06%

Households in Birmingham, AL have a median annual income of $33,770, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $32,404 in 2016, which represents a 4.22% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Birmingham, AL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Alabama.

$58,549

Average Male Salary

± $1,465

$40,615

Average Female Salary

± $997

In 2017, full-time male employees in Alabama made 1.44 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Alabama by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Alabama.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $58,018 ± $10,489

  2. White

    $47,885 ± $1,063

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $45,909 ± $38,465

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Alabama workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.21 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Alabama by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.46

2017 Wage GINI

0.458

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Alabama was 0.46 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.343% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Alabama was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 129.11

  2. Census Tract 127.03

  3. Census Tract 108.05

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Birmingham, AL was Census Tract 129.11 with a value of $154,643, followed by Census Tract 127.03 and Census Tract 108.05, with respective values of $125,333 and $114,725.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

28.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Birmingham, AL (57.7k out of 205k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Black

    45,056 ± 1,553

  2. White

    9,891 ± 800

  3. Hispanic

    2,539 ± 399

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

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

93.1k

2017 Value

± 2,297

2.08%

1 Year growth

± 3.39%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Birmingham, AL grew at a rate of 2.08%, from 91.2k employees to 93.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Birmingham, AL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (13,030 people), Sales & Related Occupations (10,395 people), and Management Occupations (6,949 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Birmingham, AL.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Birmingham, AL, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (13,030 people), Sales & Related Occupations (10,395 people), and Management Occupations (6,949 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Birmingham, AL has an unusually high number of residents working as Healthcare Support Occupations (1.53 times higher than expected), Fire Fighting & Prevention, & Other Protective Service Workers Including Supervisors (1.51 times), and Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (1.48 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Birmingham, AL, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($60,278), Legal Occupations ($55,987), and Management Occupations ($52,206).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

93.1k

2017 Value

± 2,297

2.08%

1 Year growth

± 3.39%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Birmingham, AL grew at a rate of 2.08%, from 91.2k employees to 93.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Birmingham, AL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,294 people), Retail Trade (10,756 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,611 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Birmingham, AL, though some of these residents may live in Birmingham, AL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Birmingham, AL, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,294 people), Retail Trade (10,756 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,611 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Birmingham, AL has an unusually high number of Utilities (1.68 times higher than expected), Accommodation & Food Services (1.36 times), and Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services (1.28 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Birmingham, AL, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($53,000), Utilities ($52,467), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($49,276).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Alabama to other states, or from other states to Alabama.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Motorized vehicles

    $43.7B

  2. Mixed freight

    $29.7B

  3. Coal-n.e.c.

    $23.9B

In 2015, the top outbound Alabama product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $43.7B, followed by Mixed freight ($29.7B) and Coal-n.e.c. ($23.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Alabama products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Alabama state.

$265B

2020 Value

$367B

Projected 2045 Value

38.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Alabama trade was $265B. This is expected to increase 38.3% to $367B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Alabama trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Alabama to other states, or from other states to Alabama.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Georgia

    $27.4B

  2. Florida

    $17.9B

  3. Tennessee

    $16.2B

In 2015, the top outbound Alabama domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $27.4B, followed by Florida with $17.9B and Tennessee and $16.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Alabama shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

86.2% of the population of Birmingham, AL has health coverage, with 37.9% on employee plans, 24.2% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 11.6% on non-group plans, and 1.9% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the place of Birmingham, AL was $7,281 in 2014. This is a 4.07% increase from the previous year ($6,996).

Primary care physicians in Birmingham, AL see 1535 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year (1552 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2139 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1185 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Greene County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (21.1%). Additionally, Macon County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (47.8%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,535 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Alabama see an average of 1,535 patients per year. This represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year (1,552 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Alabama in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,281

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,641

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,042

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,267

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Alabama (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.07%, from $6,996 to $7,281.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

13.8%

Uninsured

37.9%

Employer Coverage

24.2%

Medicaid

10.7%

Medicare

11.6%

Non-Group

1.9%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Birmingham, AL declined by 7.39% from 14.9% to 13.8%.

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

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Greene County

    21.1% prevalence

  2. Perry County

    20.9% prevalence

  3. Sumter County

    20.4% prevalence

Greene County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Alabama, at 21.1%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Alabama by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Birmingham, AL is home to a population of 212k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2017, 3.47% of Birmingham, AL residents were born outside of the country (7.38k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Birmingham, AL is composed of 151k Black or African American Alone residents (71.3%), 48.5k White Alone residents (22.8%), 7.33k Hispanic or Latino residents (3.45%), 2.58k Two or More Races residents (1.22%), 1.79k Asian Alone residents (0.841%), 354 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.167%), 337 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.159%), and 20 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.00942%).

Age

Age by Nativity

36

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.6

33

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1

In 2017, the median age of all people in Birmingham, AL was 35.7. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 36, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 33. But people in Birmingham, AL are getting staying the same age. In 2016, the average age of all Birmingham, AL residents was 36.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

3.47%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

7.38k people

3.39%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

7.2k people

As of 2017, 3.47% of Birmingham, AL residents (7.38k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Birmingham, AL was 3.39%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Alabama.

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    51,837 ± 5,560 people

  2. Guatemala

    11,080 ± 2,581 people

  3. India

    9,229 ± 2,356 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alabama was Mexico, the natal country of 51,837 Alabama residents, followed by Guatemala with 11,080 and India with 9,229.

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Citizenship

97.4%

2017 Citizenship

97.5%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.4% of Birmingham, AL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Birmingham, AL was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. Black or African American Alone

    151k ± 1.67k

  2. White Alone

    48.5k ± 1.31k

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    7.33k ± 1.03k

In 2017, there were 3.12 times more Black or African American Alone residents (151k people) in Birmingham, AL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 48.5k White Alone and 7.33k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Birmingham, AL as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    4,382 ± 417

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    1,905 ± 390

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    1,803 ± 305

Birmingham, AL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.3 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Birmingham, AL awarded 8,456 degrees. The student population of Birmingham, AL is skewed towards women, with 14,350 male students and 23,439 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Birmingham, AL are White (4,728 and 57.5%), followed by Black or African American (2,303 and 28%), Unknown (386 and 4.69%), and Asian (321 and 3.9%).

The largest universities in Birmingham, AL by number of degrees awarded are University of Alabama at Birmingham (5,032 and 59.5%), Jefferson State Community College (1,307 and 15.5%), and Virginia College-Birmingham (852 and 10.1%).

The most popular majors in Birmingham, AL are Registered Nursing (1,112 and 13.2%), General Business Administration & Management (451 and 5.33%), and General Studies (304 and 3.6%).

The median tuition costs in Birmingham, AL are $34,544 for private four year colleges, and $8,328 and $19,032 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Registered Nursing

    338 degrees awarded

  2. General Business Administration & Management

    204 degrees awarded

  3. General Psychology

    190 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Birmingham, AL was Registered Nursing with 338 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Birmingham, AL according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. University of Alabama at Birmingham

    5,032 degrees awarded

  2. Jefferson State Community College

    1,307 degrees awarded

  3. Virginia College-Birmingham

    852 degrees awarded

$8,328

Median In-State Public

$34,544

Median Private

In 2017, the Birmingham, AL institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Alabama at Birmingham with 5,032 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

3,170

Degrees Awarded to Men

5,286

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 3,170 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Birmingham, AL, which is 0.6 times less than the 5,286 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Birmingham, AL by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    4,728 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    2,303 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    386 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Birmingham, AL were to White students. These 4,728 degrees mean that there were 2.05 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,303 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Birmingham, AL was $86,900 in 2017, which is 0.378 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $87,100 to $86,900, a 0.23% decrease. The homeownership rate in Birmingham, AL is 46.1%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Birmingham, AL have an average commute time of 21.1 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Birmingham, AL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$86,900

2017 Median

± $1,800

$87,100

2016 Median

± $1,477

In 2017, the median property value in Birmingham, AL declined from to $86,900 from the previous year's value of $87,100.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Birmingham, AL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Birmingham, AL the largest share of households have a property value in the $70k - $80k range.

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Household Income

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

$33,770

Median Household Income

± $993

90.1k

Number of Households

± 2,077

In 2017, the median household income of the 90.1k households in Birmingham, AL grew to $33,770 from the previous year's value of $32,404.

The following chart displays the households in Birmingham, 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.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Birmingham, AL distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Birmingham, AL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

46.1%

2017 Homeownership

46.4%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 46.1% of the housing units in Birmingham, AL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 46.4%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Birmingham, AL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

21.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Birmingham, AL have a shorter commute time (21.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.32% of the workforce in Birmingham, AL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    80.3%

  2. Carpooled

    11.2%

  3. Walked

    2.72%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Birmingham, AL was Drove Alone (80.3%), followed by those who Carpooled (11.2%) and those who Walked (2.72%).

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.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Birmingham, AL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Birmingham, AL have 2 cars, followed by 1 car.

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