The Town FilesBirmingham, Alabama
City in Jefferson County · population 200,733 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $158,800
- Household income
- $46,051
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 54
- Median age
- 35.6
Birmingham is a city of 200,733 people in Jefferson County, Alabama. The median home is worth $158,800, close to the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks better transit than 100% of Alabama towns, more walkable than 99% of Alabama towns, hipper than 99% of Alabama towns.
How Birmingham 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 Birmingham is worth $158,800, close to the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $46,051, which is more affordable than 27% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $1,107 a month. 45.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Birmingham | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $158,800 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $1,107 | $834 |
| Median household income | $46,051 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 45.5% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Birmingham
| People | Birmingham | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.7% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 86.7% |
Weather in Birmingham
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 34.9°F. About 56.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.4 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 47 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birmingham since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 19 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 8, 1998 about 5.6 miles from the town center and killed 32. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 109 deaths and 1,611 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 10, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 102 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 11, 2008.
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 Birmingham itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Birmingham
65 public schools with 30,938 students, about 18.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Mountain High School | 9-12 | 1,652 | 19.0 |
| Oak Mountain Middle School | 6-8 | 1,194 | 19.6 |
| Huffman High SchoolMagnet | 8-12 | 1,123 | 18.7 |
| Parker High School | 9-12 | 854 | 20.8 |
| Chalkville Elementary School | PK-5 | 845 | 18.0 |
| Glen Iris Elementary School | PK-5 | 786 | 21.8 |
| Huffman Academy | PK-5 | 764 | 20.6 |
| Woodlawn High SchoolMagnet | 9-12 | 764 | 21.2 |
| JacksonOlin High School | 8-12 | 758 | 18.0 |
| Ramsay High School | 9-12 | 711 | 15.8 |
| Oak Mountain Elementary School | PK-3 | 689 | 18.1 |
| Fultondale High School | 7-12 | 683 | 17.5 |
Towns near Birmingham
- Mountain Brook, AL4.4 mi · 22,461 people · home $916,300
- Homewood, AL4.8 mi · 26,414 people · home $558,500
- Tarrant, AL4.9 mi · 6,124 people · home $120,100
- Vestavia Hills, AL5.6 mi · 39,102 people · home $530,000
- Fultondale, AL6.2 mi · 9,876 people · home $186,100
- Forestdale, AL6.7 mi · 10,409 people · home $164,000
- Fairfield, AL7.9 mi · 10,000 people · home $129,300
- Irondale, AL8.0 mi · 13,497 people · home $255,800
Birmingham questions
Is Birmingham, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Birmingham scores better for retirees than 11% of Alabama towns and quieter than 3%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Birmingham?
The median owner-occupied home in Birmingham is valued at $158,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,051, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,107 a month.
What is the weather like in Birmingham?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 34.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.4 inches of snow.
Does Birmingham get tornadoes?
54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birmingham 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)