About Birmingham

A wide view of the City of Birmingham, with smaller buildings in the foreground, roads and highways to the right, taller buildings in the left and background, and the blue sky above it all.

“Birmingham is and has always been a city for builders, from steel mills to start-ups. We are as strong as the steel that first built our economy, as we move forward to create better ways to live, work and play for our residents and visitors.”

-Mayor Randall L. Woodfin

Iron ore, coal, and limestone defined Birmingham when it was founded in 1871. More than 150 years later, the Magic City is a vibrant place of outstanding communities committed to becoming the best version of Birmingham we can be. Birmingham is home to world-class medical research, a celebrated food and arts scene, and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. We are a community dedicated to fostering growth through a progressive business climate and a devotion to social justice.

Nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Birmingham boasts more green space per capita than any other city its size in the nation, with breathtaking locations from Ruffner Mountain to Railroad Park to the 2.2 mile Vulcan Trail at the foot of Vulcan Park and Museum. The city is home to Childrens of Alabama Indy Grand Prix in April, Birmingham Freedom Fest in the summer, the BHAM Food Plus Culture Fest in September, great HBCU football in October featuring the Magic City Classic, and the Birmingham Bowl in December.

In June 2024, Birmingham proudly hosted MLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues. The city-owned Rickwood Field is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and former home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. The event featured a special Regular Season game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.

Birmingham is proud to be the host city for the upcoming 2025 World Police and Fire Games. The Opening Ceremony on June 27, 2025 will kick off 11 days of competition between First Responders from around the globe. BHM 2025 World Police and Fire Games will host more than 8,500 athletes from more than 70 countries competing in more than 60 sports.

Helpful Links:

Did You Know?

Population

The city of Birmingham has a population of nearly 200,000 and is the central hub of the Greater Birmingham Region with a population of 1.1 million, making it the largest population and economic region in the state of Alabama.

Demographics

Birmingham has a median age of 35.7 with a median household income of $32,404. The median property value in Birmingham is $86,900 with a homeownership rate of 46.4%. The city is 71.6% black, 24.6% white and 3.5% Hispanic.

Fast Fact

Birmingham is seventh among the 150 largest US metros for percent increase in millennial residents (ages 25-34).

History

Birmingham was founded in 1871 at the crossing of two rail lines near one of the world’s richest deposits of minerals. The Alabama Legislature passed an act to incorporate the city on December 19, 1871.

Education

The Birmingham City Schools serves 23,000 students from K-12 with 18 elementary schools, 10 K-8 schools, eight middle schools and seven high schools.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) ranks 15^th in federally funded research among public universities. The two year colleges Jefferson State and Lawson State are also located in the city.

Transportation

Five interstates provide access to more than 80% of the U.S. population in a two-day drive. The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport offers 114 flights to 26 airports and 23 cities.

Tech

The Birmingham metropolitan area has more than 550 technology companies employing more than 6,300 skilled workers. The city is home to Innovation Depot, in which 112 startups are located throughout a sprawling 140,000-square-foot complex — the largest in the Southeast.

Birmingham Biotechnology Hub

Birmingham is one of 31 federally designated Tech Hub regions. In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $44 million grant to the Birmingham Biotechnology Hub that will position the city as a global leader in drug, vaccine, and diagnostics development. The funding will support the application of AI-driven biotechnology to increase diverse representation in clinical genomic data and clinical trials.

Healthcare

Birmingham has the highest per capita concentration of healthcare jobs nationwide.

Financial Services

The city is the 12th largest banking center in the nation and third in the Southeast.

Advanced Manufacturing

Birmingham is home to 18,000 skilled automotive workers – twice the US national average – and 20,000 skilled metals and machinery workers.

Professional Sports

Birmingham is a sports loving city. Several professional teams are based in the Magic City. The Birmingham Barons are considered one of the oldest Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams in the country with history dating back to the late 1800s. The Barons are a AA team affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. The Barons play at Regions Field. The Birmingham Squadron are part of the NBA G League. Affiliated with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Squadron play at Legacy Arena. Birmingham Legion FC is a professional soccer club competing in USL Championship. The team plays at Protective Stadium. The Birmingham Stallions are part of the United Football League competing in the USFL Conference. The Stallions also play at Protective Stadium and have won three league championships since their founding in 2022.