Jefferson County, AL

County

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2021 Population

672,550

2.12% 1-year growth

US Senator

Tommy Tuberville

Republican Party

US Senator

Katie Britt

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

37.9

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

15.9%

1.49% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$58,330

5.89% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$176,900

7.21% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

308,057

1.97% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Jefferson County, AL had a population of 673k people with a median age of 37.9 and a median household income of $58,330. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Jefferson County, AL grew from 658,615 to 672,550, a 2.12% increase and its median household income grew from $55,088 to $58,330, a 5.89% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Jefferson County, AL are White (Non-Hispanic) (49.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (42.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.91%), White (Hispanic) (1.69%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.67%).

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.

97.6% of the residents in Jefferson County, AL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Jefferson County, AL are University of Alabama at Birmingham (6,323 degrees awarded in 2021), Samford University (1,756 degrees), and Jefferson State Community College (1,526 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Jefferson County, AL was $176,900, and the homeownership rate was 63.9%.

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 673k people, from which 97.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.77% of Jefferson County, AL residents were born outside of the country (25.3k people).

In 2021, there were 1.15 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (331k people) in Jefferson County, AL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 288k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 12.9k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.6%

2021 Citizenship

97.5%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.6% of Jefferson County, AL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Jefferson County, AL was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
331k ± 472
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
288k ± 1.76k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
12.9k ± 1.75k

4.05%

Hispanic Population

27.2k people

4.05% of the people in Jefferson County, AL are hispanic (27.2k 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
47,376 ± 5,318 people
Guatemala
14,765 ± 2,979 people
Korea
9,877 ± 2,438 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alabama was Mexico, the natal country of 47,376 Alabama residents, followed by Guatemala with 14,765 and Korea with 9,877.

Foreign-Born Population

3.77%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

25.3k people

3.85%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

25.3k people

As of 2021, 3.77% of Jefferson County, AL residents (25.3k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Jefferson County, AL was 3.85%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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
11,923 ± 708
Gulf War (2001-)
6,674 ± 869
Gulf War (1990s)
5,888 ± 603

Jefferson County, AL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.79 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Jefferson County, AL employs 308k people. The largest industries in Jefferson County, AL are Health Care & Social Assistance (51,498 people), Retail Trade (32,894 people), and Manufacturing (28,777 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($77,277), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($74,063), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,125).

Males in Alabama have an average income that is 1.43 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,361. The income inequality in Alabama (measured using the Gini index) is 0.458, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

308k

2021 Value

± 5,030

1.97%

1 Year growth

± 2.26%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Jefferson County, AL grew at a rate of 1.97%, from 302k employees to 308k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Jefferson County, AL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (35,671 people), Sales & Related Occupations (32,121 people), and Management Occupations (30,387 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

308k

2021 Value

± 5,030

1.97%

1 Year growth

± 2.26%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Jefferson County, AL grew at a rate of 1.97%, from 302k employees to 308k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Jefferson County, AL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (51,498 people), Retail Trade (32,894 people), and Manufacturing (28,777 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

$46,984

Median earning men ± $1,248

$34,185

Median earning women ± $874

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,488), Public Administration ($64,495), and Information ($58,955).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($51,549), Information ($48,516), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($47,265).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Alabama. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

6,739
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
4,954
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
3,644
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$9.22M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$6.97M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$5.13M
Manufacturing

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

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

In 2020, the top outbound Alabama product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $48.2B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($20.5B) and Mixed freight ($19.8B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Alabama.

$267B

2020 Value in Alabama

$540B

Projected 2050 Value in Alabama

102% growth

In 2020, total outbound Alabama trade was $267B. This is expected to increase 102% to $540B by 2050.

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

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

Georgia
$30.3B
Florida
$20.6B
Tennessee
$13B

In 2020, the top outbound Alabama domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $30.3B, followed by Florida with $20.6B and Tennessee and $13B.

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

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 2021, universities in Jefferson County, AL awarded 11,600 degrees. The student population of Jefferson County, AL in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 15,923 male students and 29,142 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Jefferson County, AL are White (6,810 and 60.9%), followed by Black or African American (2,946 and 26.4%), Asian (486 and 4.35%), and Hispanic or Latino (413 and 3.7%).

The largest universities in Jefferson County, AL by number of degrees awarded are University of Alabama at Birmingham (6,323 and 54.5%), Samford University (1,756 and 15.1%), and Jefferson State Community College (1,526 and 13.2%).

The most popular majors in Jefferson County, AL are Registered Nursing (1,511 and 13%), General Business Administration & Management (583 and 5.03%), and General Studies (496 and 4.28%).

The median tuition costs in Jefferson County, AL are $16,085 for private four year colleges, and $8,568 and $20,400 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Jefferson County, AL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 45,065 (35.3% men and 64.7% 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 2021 there were 45,065 students enrolled in Jefferson County, AL, 35.3% men and 64.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 24,391 records, of which 63.2% were women and 36.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
255 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
487 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
268 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Jefferson County, AL was General Psychology with 255 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
6,323 degrees awarded
Samford University
1,756 degrees awarded
Jefferson State Community College
1,526 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Alabama at Birmingham with 6,323 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 4,046 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Jefferson County, AL, which is 0.536 times less than the 7,554 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,810 degrees mean that there were 2.31 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,946 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 ($16,085) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,957) 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 2021, 0.898% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.82% 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 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.21M), Some college (906k), and Secondary Education (641k).

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 $176,900 in 2021, which is 0.722 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $165,000 to $176,900, a 7.21% increase. The homeownership rate in Jefferson County, AL is 63.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

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 $58,330. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Jefferson County, AL was Census Tract 129.05 with a value of $199,432, followed by Census Tract 107.03 and Census Tract 108.02, with respective values of $180,577 and $172,411.

In 2022, 16% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.3%.

Housing

Property

$176,900

Median Property Value 2021

±$4,491

$168,710

Median Property Taxes

±$3,504

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

63.9%

Homeownership

2021

68.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 63.9% of the housing units in Jefferson County, AL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63.2%.

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 129.05
Census Tract 107.03
Census Tract 108.02

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Jefferson County, AL was Census Tract 129.05 with a value of $199,432, followed by Census Tract 107.03 and Census Tract 108.02, with respective values of $180,577 and $172,411.

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.

$58,330

Median Household Income

± $1,211

264k

Number of Households

± 4,426

In 2021, the median household income of the 264k households in Jefferson County, AL grew to $58,330 from the previous year's value of $55,088.

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

2021 Wage GINI in Alabama

0.458

2020 Wage GINI in Alabama

In 2021, the income inequality in Alabama was 0.458 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0218% growth from 2020 to 2021, 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 2021

Drove Alone (80.9%)
Carpooled (8.53%)
Worked At Home (7.32%)

In 2021, 80.9% of workers in Jefferson County, AL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.53%) and those who worked at home (7.32%).

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 (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.63% 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 2022, 16% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.3%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Jefferson County, AL (105k out of 658k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. 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 2022, 20.1% of the children was living in poverty in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7.5%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 873 in Jefferson County, AL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 175 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

90.9% of the population of Jefferson County, AL has health coverage, with 48.5% on employee plans, 16.6% on Medicaid, 11.8% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 1.61% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, AL see 891 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.15% decrease from the previous year (920 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1103 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 475 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

891 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Jefferson County, AL

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, AL see an average of 891 patients per year. This represents a 3.15% decrease from the previous year (920 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.5% under 18 years, 21.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.6% 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

9.12%

Uninsured

48.5%

Employer Coverage

16.6%

Medicaid

11.8%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

1.61%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Jefferson County, AL grew by 1.29% from 9% to 9.12%.

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 2022, 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.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 34.2% in Jefferson County, AL.

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

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