Census place 0105980

Bessemer

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Bessemer city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Bessemer.

According to the 2025 estimate, Bessemer has a population of 24,984 and 615 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 66 covered Alabama places are: median household income is $39,613, below the comparison median of $65,621; median home value is $135,900, below the comparison median of $216,650; and population density is 615/sq mi, below the comparison median of 813/sq mi. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median household income
$39,613
Below the comparison median of $65,621
median home value
$135,900
Below the comparison median of $216,650
population density
615/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 813/sq mi

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Bessemer's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
24,984
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.4%
Population estimate
Density
615/sq mi
40.7 sq mi land area
Median age
43.3 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$39,613
Median home value
$135,900
Median gross rent
$961
Bachelor’s degree or higher
15.6%
Typical commute
26.2 min
Drive-alone commute
75.7%
Public transit commute
1.3%
Walked to work
1%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
42.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
54.9%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
45.2%
Unemployed residents 16+
4.2%
Working from home
9.4%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
83.8%
Homes built 2020+
1.3%
Households without a vehicle
10.9%
Households with children
21.4%
Residents with a disability
25%
Residents without insurance
14%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Jefferson County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
24
Severe Storm declarations
14
Hurricane declarations
9
Fire declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: ALABASTER SHELBY CO AP ASOS (17 mi from place center)
Average high
74.9°F
Average low
53.9°F
Annual rainfall
56.2"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Bessemer.

Typical high and low °F
20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Duncan, OK

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
23,238
Median home
$131,500

Paris, TX

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
25,205
Median home
$150,000

Marshall, TX

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
24,467
Median home
$141,400

Keep exploring

Compare Bessemer with Duncan