The Town FilesBessemer, Alabama
City in Jefferson County · population 26,019 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $135,900
- Household income
- $39,613
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 43.3
Bessemer is a city of 26,019 people in Jefferson County, Alabama. The median home is worth $135,900, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Alabama towns, hipper than 95% of Alabama towns, better transit than 95% of Alabama towns.
How Bessemer ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bessemer is worth $135,900, below the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $39,613, which is more affordable than 27% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $961 a month. 57.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bessemer | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,900 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $961 | $834 |
| Median household income | $39,613 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 57.4% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bessemer
| People | Bessemer | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.9% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.8% | 86.7% |
Weather in Bessemer
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 33.8°F. About 55.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.2 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 80 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bessemer since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 18 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 8, 1998 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 32. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 78 deaths and 1,306 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 10, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 81 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 30, 2002.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| December 21, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4632: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 26, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4596: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 367,081 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,562 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Bessemer itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Bessemer
15 public schools with 6,068 students, about 20.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bessemer City High School | 9-12 | 805 | 23.7 |
| McCalla Elementary School | PK-5 | 765 | 20.7 |
| Oak Grove High School | 6-12 | 732 | 17.9 |
| Bessemer City Middle School | 6-8 | 648 | 20.9 |
| Oak Grove Elementary School | PK-5 | 575 | 16.9 |
| Jonesboro Elementary School | PK-5 | 509 | 18.9 |
| Concord Elementary School | PK-5 | 405 | 17.6 |
| Charles F Hard Elementary School | PK-5 | 350 | 21.9 |
| Empower Community School (charter) | K-7 | 302 | 27.5 |
| Westhills Elementary School | K-5 | 297 | 17.5 |
| Greenwood Elementary School | K-5 | 295 | 21.1 |
| Abrams Elementary School | PK-5 | 217 | 18.1 |
Towns near Bessemer
- Hueytown, AL3.7 mi · 16,776 people · home $155,300
- McCalla, AL5.7 mi · 12,965 people · home $279,900
- Midfield, AL6.5 mi · 5,211 people · home $107,600
- Helena, AL7.7 mi · 20,914 people · home $330,700
- Fairfield, AL7.8 mi · 10,000 people · home $129,300
- Pleasant Grove, AL8.5 mi · 9,544 people · home $226,400
- Hoover, AL9.4 mi · 92,606 people · home $412,200
- Homewood, AL11.1 mi · 26,414 people · home $558,500
Bessemer questions
Is Bessemer, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bessemer scores better for retirees than 5% of Alabama towns and quieter than 4%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Bessemer?
The median owner-occupied home in Bessemer is valued at $135,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,613, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $961 a month.
What is the weather like in Bessemer?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 33.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.2 inches of snow.
Does Bessemer get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bessemer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 8, 1998. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)