Population 5,243 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Southside
Household size in Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.53 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.53 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.72 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.38 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Southside is a place of small households, averaging 1.38 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 1.53 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Birmingham neighborhood has smaller households.
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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.7 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.5 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Southside is 36.5 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.7, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.8% of households in Southside, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 10.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Southside has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Birmingham neighborhoods.
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 Southside
Renters in Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.2% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 78.2% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.6% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 75.4% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Southside: 75.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 40.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Southside has the highest share of renters of any Birmingham neighborhood.
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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.4% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Southside: 19.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.9 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Southside are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the wider Birmingham area, where the median home dates to 1984. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south.
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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $584 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $670 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $772 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,390 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$806 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in Southside runs $1,390 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the Birmingham area overall ($1,238). Rents are up $806 a month from 2006–10, a 138% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 36.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Southside
Bachelor's degrees in Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.8% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.6% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.0% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 73.7% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +30.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Southside: 73.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 30.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Birmingham's 17 neighborhoods, only two 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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.7% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.0% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.9 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Southside: 98.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 13.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Birmingham neighborhood has 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 Southside
| Period | Southside | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.7% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.6 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Southside has been strong: just 1.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only two of Birmingham's 17 neighborhoods have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 9.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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).
Southside compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southside | 1.38 | 36.5 | 2.8% | 75.4% | 19.4% | 1978 | $1,390 | 73.7% | 98.6% | 1.7% |
| Highland Park | 1.35 | 36.0 | 2.2% | 64.5% | 13.2% | 1950 | $1,207 | 74.0% | 98.5% | 4.5% |
| Five Points South | 2.12 | 25.2 | 2.9% | 74.7% | 27.6% | 1972 | $1,111 | 70.4% | 97.6% | 4.2% |
| Redmont Park | 2.10 | 50.8 | 1.1% | 24.9% | 11.6% | 1953 | $1,403 | 89.0% | 99.6% | 2.7% |
| Forest Park | 1.79 | 39.3 | 2.6% | 56.8% | 10.8% | 1977 | $1,238 | 67.7% | 95.9% | 4.4% |
| Norwood | 1.65 | 41.0 | 9.4% | 46.2% | 21.8% | 1952 | $1,270 | 33.8% | 86.8% | 3.3% |
| Glen Iris | 1.78 | 32.2 | 10.0% | 72.6% | 18.2% | 1971 | $1,134 | 49.5% | 93.9% | 6.7% |
| Crestline | 1.90 | 31.7 | 8.8% | 40.5% | 10.6% | 1973 | $1,383 | 71.9% | 95.2% | 4.4% |
| Arlington | 1.86 | 45.3 | 18.9% | 72.9% | 20.7% | 1966 | $657 | 8.2% | 71.6% | 11.1% |
| Crossgate | 2.24 | 39.7 | 9.2% | 37.0% | 7.3% | 1978 | $1,523 | 61.9% | 95.0% | 0.9% |
| South East Lake | 2.42 | 39.3 | 23.4% | 53.3% | 18.0% | 1957 | $1,100 | 18.5% | 86.6% | 7.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Elmwood, New Orleans, LA · Dayton-Campbell Historic District, Hamilton, OH · Woodbine, Nashville, TN · Delawanna, Clifton, NJ · Williston North, Williston, VT · Abram-Perezville, Mission, TX · Village at North Hills, Northglenn, CO · East Albany, Albany, OR · Victory Heights, Seattle, WA · Valencia Park, San Diego, CA
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 Southside. 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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