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.

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 | -12.6%  |       0 |   0.0%
2011 | 211,972 |   -265 | -0.12%  | -30,079 | -12.4%  |    -265 | -0.12%
2012 | 211,302 |   -670 | -0.32%  | -30,749 | -12.7%  |    -935 | -0.44%
2013 | 211,929 |   +627 | +0.30%  | -30,122 | -12.4%  |    -308 | -0.15%
2014 | 212,247 |   +318 | +0.15%  | -29,804 | -12.3%  |     +10 |  +0.0%
2015 | 212,461 |   +214 | +0.10%  | -29,590 | -12.2%  |    +224 | +0.11%
2016 | 212,157 |   -304 | -0.14%  | -29,894 | -12.4%  |     -80 |  -0.0%
2017 | 217,158 | +5,001 | +2.35%  | -24,893 | -10.3%  |  +4,921 | +2.32%

*2010 estimate adjusted by census enumeration

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%

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.