Birmingham AL
Alabama · Pop. 198,173
Birmingham, AL: median household income of $46,051, median rent of $1,107/mo, 5.8% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$46,051
per year
Median Rent
$1,107
per month
Median Home
$159k
home value
Unemployment
5.8%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
24.7%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
21 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Birmingham, AL Reality Check"
In Birmingham, the rent-to-income burden runs around 29% — acceptable by national standards. Median income sits at $46,051 and median rent is $1,107/month. 52% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $158,800 — that's 3.4× the median income. Employment picture: 5.84% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 24.7% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 21 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 134.4/100k avg monthly rate (7310 reported); Property crime: 348.8/100k avg monthly rate (18986 reported). Birmingham was founded in 1871 — that's 155 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 148.6 sq miles at 1,333 people/sq mile — sprawling. Elevation: 614 ft — modest elevation. Known as: "The Magic City". Birmingham has 9 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 62/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 134.4/100k avg monthly rate (7310 reported); Property crime: 348.8/100k avg monthly rate (18986 reported).