Bessemer

Population: 25,655
Median household income: $37,844
Median home value: $129,800

Located in Jefferson County, Alabama, Bessemer is a community with a population of 25,655. At $37,844, its median household income sits below Jefferson County's $64,589.

From 2019 to 2023, Bessemer's population declined 3.8% from 26,680 to 25,655, while its median home value rose 50.1% from $86,500 to $129,800.

The median gross rent is $922. 14.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 25,655
Median age: 42.8 yrs
Median household income: $37,844
Median home value: $129,800
Median gross rent: $922
Housing units: 12,612
Homeownership rate: 55.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 14.4%
Unemployment rate: 8.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

26,68025,655

Median household income

$32,301$37,844

Median home value

$86,500$129,800

Median gross rent

$743$922

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	26,680	$32,301	$86,500	$743
2020	26,063	$30,284	$100,100	$764
2021	26,171	$32,416	$102,200	$786
2022	25,890	$34,953	$118,600	$879
2023	25,655	$37,844	$129,800	$922

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 57.0%

5 to 1713.8%

18 to 249.1%

25 to 3411.1%

35 to 4410.6%

45 to 5411.6%

55 to 6415.2%

65 to 7412.8%

75 and over8.9%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,784	7.0%
5 to 17	3,547	13.8%
18 to 24	2,327	9.1%
25 to 34	2,845	11.1%
35 to 44	2,721	10.6%
45 to 54	2,979	11.6%
55 to 64	3,896	15.2%
65 to 74	3,277	12.8%
75 and over	2,279	8.9%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	4,753	18.5%
Black or African American	18,103	70.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0	0.0%
Asian	40	0.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	667	2.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,092	8.2%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma13.1%

High school graduate40.0%

Some college or associate's32.4%

Bachelor's degree9.3%

Graduate or professional degree5.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,365	13.1%
High school graduate	7,207	40.0%
Some college or associate's	5,829	32.4%
Bachelor's degree	1,673	9.3%
Graduate or professional degree	923	5.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 26 min

Drove alone76.5%

Carpooled9.5%

Public transit1.3%

Walked2.2%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home9.6%

Other means1.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	6,940	76.5%
Carpooled	859	9.5%
Public transit	114	1.3%
Walked	201	2.2%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	868	9.6%
Other means	89	1.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,829	22.3%
15 to 29 min	3,210	39.1%
30 to 44 min	2,125	25.9%
45 to 59 min	641	7.8%
60+ min	398	4.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.36
Poverty rate: 30.7% (7,735 of 25,165)

	Count	Share
Family households	5,778	54.5%
Nonfamily households	4,820	45.5%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1963

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	10,598	84.0%
Vacant	2,014	16.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,837	55.1%
Renter-occupied	4,761	44.9%

1-unit, detached72.7%

1-unit, attached3.6%

2 to 4 units9.8%

5 to 19 units7.1%

20 or more units4.4%

Mobile home & other2.5%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	9,173	72.7%
1-unit, attached	448	3.6%
2 to 4 units	1,232	9.8%
5 to 19 units	890	7.1%
20 or more units	559	4.4%
Mobile home & other	310	2.5%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0105980
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 41 sq mi
Water area: 0.21 sq mi
Center point: 33.3709, -86.9715