Bessemer vs Birmingham
Bessemer, Alabama versus Birmingham, Alabama: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bessemer and Birmingham score about the same overall (44 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bessemer | Birmingham |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $35k | $42k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $119k | $123k |
| Monthly Rent | $879 | $995 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.71% | 0.70% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.29% | 9.29% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.46% | 11.10% |
| Unemployment | 10.8% | 7.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 45°F | 44°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.4 in | 58.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2 in | 1.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 264 days | 264 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 78 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 36.8 | 72.4 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.4 | 54.3 |
| Violent Crime | 4283/100k | 3419/100k |
| Property Crime | 7528/100k | 4245/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,890 | 200,431 |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 35.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.87 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 18.4% | 23.4% |
| Black (%) | 72.0% | 68.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.5% | 4.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.2% | 1.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 11.0/20 | 13.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 78.7% | 81.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.84 | 11.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bessemer or Birmingham more affordable?
- Birmingham has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Bessemer's $49k and Birmingham's $49k. Median rent is $879 in Bessemer versus $995 in Birmingham.
- Is Bessemer or Birmingham safer?
- Birmingham has the lower violent crime rate. Bessemer reports 4283/100k and Birmingham reports 3419/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bessemer or Birmingham?
- The median home value is $119k in Bessemer and $123k in Birmingham, so homes are more affordable in Bessemer.