Historical demographics of Birmingham

Historical demographics of Birmingham have been reported by the U. S. Census Bureau and other references.

Birmingham's Population, 1880-2010

year     pop.     change     %change

1880 |   3,086 |    -     |    -     |
1890 |  26,178 | +23,092  | +748.3%  | (see 1889 Birmingham annexation)
1900 |  38,178 | +12,000  |  +46.8%  |
1910 | 132,685 | +94,507  | +245.4%  | (see Greater Birmingham)
1920 | 178,806 | +46,121  |  +34.8%  |
1930 | 259,678 | +80,872  |  +45.2%  |
1940 | 267,583 |  +7,905  |   +3.0%  |
1950 | 326,037 | +58,454  |  +21.9%  |
1960 | 340,887 | +14,850  |   +4.6%  |
1970 | 300,910 | -39,977  |  -11.7%  |
1980 | 284,413 | -16,497  |   -5.5%  |
1990 | 265,968 | -18,445  |   -6.5%  |
2000 | 242,820 | -23,128  |   -8.7%  |
2010 | 212,237 | -30,583  |  -12.6%  |

Population estimates since the 2000 census

year     pop.    change   %change     cum.    %cum.     v.2010   % v.2010

2000 | 242,051 |   n/a  |   n/a   |    n/a  |  n/a    |        |
2001 | 239,786 | -2,265 | -0.94%  |  -2,265 | -0.94%  |        |
2002 | 237,153 | -2,633 | -1.10%  |  -4,898 | -2.02%  |        |
2003 | 235,959 | -1,194 | -0.50%  |  -6,092 | -2.52%  |        |
2004 | 233,540 | -2,419 | -1.03%  |  -8,511 | -3.52%  |        |
2005 | 232,137 | -1,403 | -0.60%  |  -9,914 | -4.10%  |        |
2006 | 231,368 |   -769 | -0.33%  | -10,683 | -4.41%  |        |
2007 | 230,618 |   -750 | -0.32%  | -11,433 | -4.72%  |        |
2008 | 230,228 |   -390 | -0.17%  | -11,843 | -4.88%  |        |
2009 | 230,131 |    -97 | -0.04%  | -11,580 | -4.92%  |        |
2010 | 212,237 |-17,894 | -7.77%  | -29,474 | -12.3%  |   n/a  |   n/a
2011 | 212,413 |   +176 | +0.08%  | -29,638 | -12.4%  |   +176 | +0.08%
2012 | 212,038 |   -375 | -0.18%  | -30,013 | -12.4%  |   -199 | -0.09%
2013 | 212,113 |    +75 | +0.04%  | -29,938 | -12.4%  |   -124 | -0.06%
2014 | 212,247 |   +134 | +0.06%  | -29,804 | -12.3%  |    +10 | +0.00%
2015 | 212,461 |   +214 | +0.10%  | -29,590 | -12.2%  |   +224 | +0.11%
2016 | 212,157 |   -304 | -0.14%  | -29,894 | -12.4%  |    -80 | -0.04%
2017 | 210,710 | -1,447 | -0.68%  | -31,341 | -12.9%  | -1,527 | -0.72%   
2018 | 209,880 |   -830 | -0.39%  | -32,171 | -13.3%  | -2,357 | -1.11%
2019 | 209,400 |   -480 | -0.23%  | -32,651 | -13.5%  | -2,837 | -1.34%

* 2011 through 2018 estimates were as announced each year, not as later revised.

Birmingham Population by Race

year     total     black    %b      white    %w

1880 |   3,086 |    -    |   -   |    -    |  - 
1890 |  26,178 |  11,254 | 43.0% |  14,909 | 57.0%
1900 |  38,415 |  16,575 | 43.1% |  21,832 | 56.8%
1910 | 132,685 |  52,305 | 39.4% |  80,369 | 60.6%
1920 | 178,806 |  70,230 | 39.3% | 108,550 | 60.7%
1930 | 259,678 |  99,077 | 38.2% | 160,551 | 61.8%
1940 | 267,583 | 108,938 | 40.7% | 158,622 | 59.3%
1950 | 326,037 | 130,025 | 39.9% | 195,922 | 60.1%
1960 | 340,887 | 135,113 | 39.6% | 205,620 | 60.3%
1970 | 300,910 | 126,388 | 42.0% | 173,729 | 57.8%
1980 | 284,413 | 158,224 | 55.6% | 124,729 | 43.9%
1990 | 265,968 | 168,277 | 63.3% |  95,655 | 36.0%
2000 | 242,820 | 178,372 | 73.5% |  58,457 | 24.1%
2010 | 212,237 | 155,791 | 73.4% |  47,258 | 22.3%

Greater Birmingham, 1909

section                                    pop est

Birmingham (in corporate limits)        | 45,000
Pratt City (incorporated)               |  7,000
Ensley (incorporated)                   |  6,000 
Avondale (incorporated)                 |  4,000
Woodlawn (incorporated)                 |  3,750
East Lake (incorporated)                |  3,500
North Birmingham (incorporated)         |  3,500
Wylam (incorporated)                    |  2,000
West End (incorporated)                 |  1,000
Elyton, Smithfield, Powderly (not inc)  |  4,500
Gate City, Irondale (not inc)           |  2,500
Sayreton (not incorporated)             |  2,500
Thomas (not incorporated)               |  1,500
East Birmingham (not incorporated)      |  1,000
Kingston (not incorporated)             |  1,000
Lewisburg (not incorporated)            |  1,000
Clifton (not incorporated)              |  1,000
Total                                   | 90,750

Italian immigration in Birmingham, 1890-1920

year     pop.     %change

1890 |   130 |  -
1900 |   504 |  +489.3%
1910 | 1,846 |  +366.3%
1920 | 2,160 |  +117.0%

Additional notes

• On February 4, 1891 the Birmingham Age-Herald reported that, "There are thirty-two Chinamen in Birmingham and sixty in Alabama."

References

• Various U. S. Census tables cited in "Birmingham's Population, 1880-2000" at the Birmingham Public Library website. [1] - accessed April 24, 2006
• Population Estimates. U. S. Census Bureau - accessed July 13, 2008
• Birmingfind (1981) The Italians: From Bisacquino to Birmingham. Birmingham: Birmingfind.
• Cruikshank, George (1920) A History of Birmingham and Its Environs. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co.