Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham
City
Downtown Birmingham Vulcan 16th Street Baptist Church City Hall Alabama Theatre Birmingham Museum of Art
Flag Seal Logo
Nicknames:  "The Magic City", "Pittsburgh of the South"
Interactive map of Birmingham
Birmingham Location within Alabama Show map of Alabama Birmingham Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 33°31′03″N 86°48′34″W / 33.51750°N 86.80944°W / 33.51750; -86.80944
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Counties	Jefferson, Shelby
Incorporated	December 19, 1871
Named after	Birmingham, England
Government
• Type	Mayor – Council
• Mayor	Randall Woodfin (D)
Area [1]
• City	149.54 sq mi (387.31 km2)
• Land	147.02 sq mi (380.77 km2)
• Water	2.52 sq mi (6.53 km2)
Elevation [2]	597 ft (182 m)
Population  (2020)[3]
• City	200,733
• Estimate  (2024)[3]	196,357
• Rank	131st in the United States 2nd in Alabama
• Density	1,365.37/sq mi (527.17/km2)
• Urban	774,956 (US: 58th)
• Urban density	1,521.7/sq mi (587.5/km2)
• Metro [4]	1,192,583 (47th)
• Combined	1,376,853 (US: 43rd)
Demonym	Birminghamian
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	35201-35224, 35226, 35228-35229, 35231-35238, 35242-35244, 35246, 35249, 35253-35255, 35259-35261, 35266, 35270, 35282-35283, 35285, 35287-35288, 35290-35298
Area codes	205, 659
FIPS code	01-07000
GNIS feature ID	2403868[2]
Website	birminghamal.gov

Birmingham (/ˈbɜːrmɪŋhæm/ BUR-ming-ham) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the second-most populous city in the state with a population of 200,733 at the 2020 census and estimated at 196,357 in 2024,^[3] while the Birmingham metropolitan area with over 1.19 million residents is the largest metropolitan area in Alabama and 47th-most populous in the US.^[5] Birmingham serves as a major regional economic, medical, and educational hub of the Deep South, Piedmont, and Appalachian regions. It is the county seat of Jefferson County.

Founded in 1871 during the Reconstruction era, Birmingham was formed through the merger of three smaller communities, most notably Elyton. It quickly grew into an industrial and transportation center, with a focus on mining, steel production, and railroads. Named for Birmingham, England, it developed with a labor force that included many African Americans from rural Alabama, often employed under non-union conditions.^[6] Its rapid industrial growth from 1881 to 1920 earned it the nicknames "The Magic City" and "The Pittsburgh of the South." Though the prominence of mining and heavy industry declined in the late 20th century, Birmingham remains a significant manufacturing center with a diverse economy in banking, telecommunications, transportation, medicine and higher education.

The Birmingham area serves as headquarters to Fortune 500 companies Regions Financial and Vulcan Materials Company, along with multiple other Fortune 1000 companies. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, established in 1969, includes a prominent medical school, dental school, and other professional programs, making it one of the state's leading research institutions. The area also hosts private colleges such as Samford University and Miles College, along with Jefferson State Community College and Lawson State Community College. Birmingham is also home to the headquarters of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), reinforcing its cultural and athletic influence in the region.