Jefferson County · Alabama
Birmingham, AL demographics
Population, income and the local tax burden that sits on top of them — sourced from the Census Bureau and the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Quick answer
Birmingham, AL has a population of 196,644 and a median household income of $44,290 — about $3,691 a month before tax. That ranks 90 of 94 covered metros by income and 78 of 94 by population.
Population
196,644
City limits, ACS 5-year
Median household income
$44,290
ACS 5-year estimate
Combined sales tax
10%
Alabama + local
Income rank
#90
of 94 covered metros
Estimated annual sales tax on a median household
A Birmingham household at the median income of $44,290 spending roughly a quarter of pre-tax income on taxable retail goods would pay about $1,107 a year in sales tax at 10%. This is an illustration, not a filing figure: the taxable share of spending varies with household composition, and Alabama exempts or discounts several categories. Birmingham's 10% combined rate is among the highest big-city rates in the US, and Alabama still taxes groceries at a reduced state rate.
Method: median household income × 25% taxable share × combined rate. The 25% share is a rough national benchmark from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, not a Birmingham-specific measurement.
Sources
What each figure on this page comes from.
- Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Source: Alabama Department of Revenue rate tables · rates as published for 2026