Jefferson County, AL

County

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2023 Population

669,744

0.375% 1-year decline

US Senator

Tommy Tuberville

Republican Party

US Senator

Katie Britt

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

37.8

0.264% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

16.3%

2.89% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$64,589

1.56% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$224,900

7.66% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

309,745

0.465% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Jefferson County, AL had a population of 670k people with a median age of 37.8 and a median household income of $64,589. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Jefferson County, AL declined from 672,265 to 669,744, a −0.375% decrease and its median household income grew from $63,595 to $64,589, a 1.56% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Jefferson County, AL are White (Non-Hispanic) (47.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (42.3%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.15%), Other (Hispanic) (1.99%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.81%).

None of the households in Jefferson County, 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.

97.1% of the residents in Jefferson County, AL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Jefferson County, AL are University of Alabama at Birmingham (6,742 degrees awarded in 2023), Samford University (1,700 degrees), and Jefferson State Community College (1,511 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Jefferson County, AL was $224,900, and the homeownership rate was 63.7%.

Most people in Jefferson County, AL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Jefferson County, AL was 2 cars per household.

Jefferson County, AL borders Bibb County, AL, Blount County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Shelby County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, and Walker County, AL.

About the photo: Birmingham, AL

Photo by Trish Hartmann

United States Alabama Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Population & Diversity

Jefferson County, AL is home to a population of 670k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.45% of Jefferson County, AL residents were born outside of the country (29.8k people).

In 2023, there were 1.13 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (321k people) in Jefferson County, AL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 283k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 14.4k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%

2023 Citizenship

97.5%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.1% of Jefferson County, AL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Jefferson County, AL was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Jefferson County, AL

White (Non-Hispanic)
321k ± 764
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
283k ± 1.56k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
14.4k ± 1.49k

5.24%

Hispanic Population

35.1k people

5.24% of the people in Jefferson County, AL are hispanic (35.1k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
45,935 ± 5,238 people
Guatemala
15,043 ± 3,007 people
India
10,012 ± 2,454 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alabama was Mexico, the natal country of 45,935 Alabama residents, followed by Guatemala with 15,043 and India with 10,012.

Foreign-Born Population

4.45%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

29.8k people

3.92%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

26.3k people

As of 2023, 4.45% of Jefferson County, AL residents (29.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Jefferson County, AL was 3.92%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
10,017 ± 658
Gulf War (2001-)
7,777 ± 940
Gulf War (1990s)
5,590 ± 554

Jefferson County, AL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Jefferson County, AL employs 310k people. The largest industries in Jefferson County, AL are Health Care & Social Assistance (51,673 people), Retail Trade (34,281 people), and Educational Services (29,058 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($94,835), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($86,780), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($78,750).

Males in Alabama have an average income that is 1.43 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,264. The income inequality in Alabama (measured using the Gini index) is 0.458, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

310k

2023 Value

± 5,138

−0.465%

1 Year decline

± 2.35%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Jefferson County, AL declined at a rate of −0.465%, from 311k employees to 310k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Jefferson County, AL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (34,361 people), Management Occupations (32,458 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (29,175 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Jefferson County, 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

310k

2023 Value

± 5,138

−0.465%

1 Year decline

± 2.35%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Jefferson County, AL declined at a rate of −0.465%, from 311k employees to 310k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Jefferson County, AL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (51,673 people), Retail Trade (34,281 people), and Educational Services (29,058 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Jefferson County, AL, though some of these residents may live in Jefferson County, AL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$52,922

Median earning men ± $977

$38,795

Median earning women ± $1,201

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($91,558), Public Administration ($67,188), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($64,955).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($55,082), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($52,437), and Construction ($51,168).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,358
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,098
Other Services (except Public Administration)
1,076
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.26M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.67M
Finance and Insurance
$1.65M
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Jefferson County, AL went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (42.6%), followed by Other (1.63%).

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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (55.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (42.6%)
Republican Party
Other (1.63%)
Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Jefferson County, AL went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (42.6%), followed by Other (1.63%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Jefferson County, AL 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 2023, universities in Jefferson County, AL awarded 11,807 degrees. The student population of Jefferson County, AL in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 15,545 male students and 27,968 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Jefferson County, AL are White (6,723 and 59.7%), followed by Black or African American (2,898 and 25.7%), Asian (548 and 4.87%), and Hispanic or Latino (508 and 4.51%).

The largest universities in Jefferson County, AL by number of degrees awarded are University of Alabama at Birmingham (6,742 and 57.1%), Samford University (1,700 and 14.4%), and Jefferson State Community College (1,511 and 12.8%).

The most popular majors in Jefferson County, AL are Registered Nursing (1,320 and 11.2%), General Business Administration & Management (702 and 5.95%), and General Studies (536 and 4.54%).

The median tuition costs in Jefferson County, AL are $16,930 for private four year colleges, and $8,832 and $21,864 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Jefferson County, AL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 79.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 43,513 (35.7% men and 64.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 43,513 students enrolled in Jefferson County, AL, 35.7% men and 64.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 21,980 records, of which 62.6% were women and 37.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
316 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
209 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
468 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Jefferson County, AL was General Psychology with 316 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Alabama at Birmingham
6,742 degrees awarded
Samford University
1,700 degrees awarded
Jefferson State Community College
1,511 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Alabama at Birmingham with 6,742 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 4,253 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Jefferson County, AL, which is 0.563 times less than the 7,554 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,723 degrees mean that there were 2.32 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,898 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($16,930) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,872) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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 Jefferson County, AL was $224,900 in 2023, which is 0.741 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $208,900 to $224,900, a 7.66% increase. The homeownership rate in Jefferson County, AL is 63.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Jefferson County, AL have an average commute time of 24.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Jefferson County, AL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Jefferson County, AL is $64,589. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Jefferson County, AL was Census Tract 108.02 with a value of $210,387, followed by Census Tract 129.05 and Census Tract 108.04, with respective values of $205,909 and $205,000.

In 2023, 15.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.83%.

Housing

Property

$224,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$4,360

$171,343

Median Property Taxes

±$3,498

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 Jefferson County, AL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

63.7%

Homeownership

2023

68.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 63.7% of the housing units in Jefferson County, AL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 64.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Jefferson County, 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 108.02
Census Tract 129.05
Census Tract 108.04

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Jefferson County, AL was Census Tract 108.02 with a value of $210,387, followed by Census Tract 129.05 and Census Tract 108.04, with respective values of $205,909 and $205,000.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Jefferson County, 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.

$64,589

Median Household Income

± $1,226

269k

Number of Households

± 4,399

In 2023, the median household income of the 269k households in Jefferson County, AL grew to $64,589 from the previous year's value of $63,595.

The following chart displays the households in Jefferson County, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Jefferson County, 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 2023

Drove Alone (78.3%)
Worked At Home (9.85%)
Carpooled (8.27%)

In 2023, 78.3% of workers in Jefferson County, AL drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.85%) and those who carpooled to work (8.27%).

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

24.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Jefferson County, AL have a shorter commute time (24.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.82% of the workforce in Jefferson County, AL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.83%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

16.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Jefferson County, AL (107k out of 652k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Jefferson County, 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 23.6% of the children was living in poverty in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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

90.8% of the population of Jefferson County, AL has health coverage, with 47.2% on employee plans, 17.3% on Medicaid, 12.3% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 1.63% 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.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.3% were men and 53.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.7% under 18 years, 21.9% between 18 and 34 years, 37.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.3% were men and 53.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

9.19%

Uninsured

47.2%

Employer Coverage

17.3%

Medicaid

12.3%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

1.63%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Jefferson County, AL grew by 1.82% from 9.03% to 9.19%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 84.2 in Jefferson County, AL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Jefferson County, AL.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.9% in Jefferson County, AL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Jefferson County, AL.