Population 667,755 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Jefferson County run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of the Birmingham area. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 39.2, the median age in Jefferson County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.8, mirroring the country. Jefferson County is younger than the great majority of Alabama counties.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Jefferson County than nationally: 13.6%, against 11.6%. Jefferson County has a higher share of single-parent households than most Alabama counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Jefferson County
Renters in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.3% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.1% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Jefferson County is about as common as it is nationally: 36.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider Birmingham area (29.2%). Just over four in ten owners (42.0%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Jefferson County: 12.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. The picture is much the same across the Birmingham area.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Jefferson County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Birmingham area overall, where the median home dates to 1984. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing. Few Alabama counties have older homes: only two of 67.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $854 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $943 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,034 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,282 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$427 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in Jefferson County runs $1,282 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $427 a month since 2006–10, up 50%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Jefferson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.1% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.6% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.6% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Jefferson County (37.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Alabama's 67 counties, only three have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.4% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.4% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.3% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.2% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Jefferson County have finished high school (91.2%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points, in line with the national trend. Of Alabama's 67 counties, only five have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Jefferson County than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Jefferson County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 2.51 | 39.2 | 13.6% | 36.1% | 12.9% | 1977 | $1,282 | 37.6% | 91.2% | 4.6% |
| St. Clair County | 2.68 | 41.6 | 10.4% | 17.4% | 10.6% | 1996 | $1,139 | 22.2% | 88.5% | 4.4% |
| Cleburne County | 2.59 | 42.2 | 10.1% | 21.5% | 13.4% | 1986 | $747 | 17.3% | 86.4% | 3.1% |
| Lowndes County | 2.51 | 39.8 | 16.6% | 38.7% | 14.4% | 1982 | $927 | 28.0% | 89.6% | 6.5% |
| Carroll County | 2.88 | 36.3 | 14.4% | 28.7% | 9.4% | 1991 | $1,210 | 23.3% | 85.4% | 6.1% |
| Clay County | 2.36 | 41.9 | 17.6% | 28.7% | 14.1% | 1984 | $932 | 17.2% | 83.9% | 7.1% |
| Oktibbeha County | 2.13 | 30.6 | 9.4% | 52.0% | 15.1% | 1994 | $936 | 48.1% | 91.7% | 5.6% |
| Fayette County | 2.78 | 44.2 | 10.5% | 19.9% | 5.5% | 1994 | $1,957 | 50.4% | 94.7% | 3.9% |
| Webster County | 2.41 | 40.2 | 9.3% | 23.9% | 19.3% | 1983 | $644 | 21.3% | 86.6% | 5.4% |
| Clayton County | 2.91 | 34.6 | 20.6% | 45.5% | 9.2% | 1989 | $1,577 | 23.2% | 85.7% | 7.3% |
| Henry County | 2.97 | 37.9 | 14.1% | 25.1% | 6.6% | 2000 | $1,830 | 30.0% | 93.1% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Johnson County, KS · Williamson County, TX · Washington County, OR · Kent County, MI · Anne Arundel County, MD · Jefferson County, CO · Jackson County, MO · Hudson County, NJ · El Paso County, CO · Douglas County, NE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Jefferson County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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