Map the Block › Places › Alabama › Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Alabama in numbers: crime, income, hazards
Jefferson County averaged 6.9 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 79% higher than the Alabama rate (3.8). The median household earns $66,388 and the unemployment rate was 3.8% in August 2026. Population: about 667,755 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Jefferson County?
From 2021 through 2025, Jefferson County averaged 4,710 reported violent crimes a year, along with 17,688 property crimes. That is 6.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 79% higher than the Alabama rate (3.8), and 87% higher than the U.S. rate (3.7). For property crime the county rate is 25.9 per 1,000 (Alabama: 16.5; U.S.: 18.1). Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (80%). CDC death records show about 172 homicide deaths a year in the county (26.0 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Jefferson County | Per 1,000 | Alabama per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 4,710 | 6.9 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 147 | 0.21 | 0.10 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 172 | 0.25 | 0.30 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 624 | 0.91 | 0.35 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 3,767 | 5.5 | 3.1 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 17,688 | 25.9 | 16.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 2,867 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 11,991 | 17.5 | 11.9 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 2,830 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (25 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
The median household in Jefferson County earns $66,388 a year, close to the Alabama median ($63,999). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $240,000, and the median rent is $1,193 a month. 14.2% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 13.7%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.8% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 11,940 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Jefferson County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 667,755 | 5,086,768 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $66,388 | $63,999 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $240,000 | $209,900 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,193 | $1,007 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 15.7% | 15.6% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 14.2% | 13.7% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 36.2% | 28.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 63.9% | 70.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 37.7 | 39.3 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 90.4% | 87.5% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 9.4% | 9.2% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Very High), river flooding (Relatively High) and heat waves (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
2 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Jefferson County: Interstate Lead Co. (Ilco) and 35Th Avenue. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 20 high-hazard dams in Jefferson County. Tallest on the list: Bayview Lake (100 ft) and Drummond Lake Dam (86 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
56 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 3,847,493 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Jefferson County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 2), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 6 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 11 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 101 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 16 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County had 3 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Where crews are working: I-20/I-59. 3 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County has 180 public schools (2024-25) and 56 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 34 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 117 fire or EMS stations and 28 police or sheriff stations. National Park Service sites here: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Jefferson County
Gun shops
29 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Jefferson County (27 from the ATF licensee list, 2 from OpenStreetMap), plus 23 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 14 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Academy Sports + Outdoors #407 (Gardendale), Academy Sports + Outdoors #64 (Hoover), Academy Sports + Outdoors #68 (Birmingham), Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World 032 (Leeds), Big Jim's Pawn INC (Birmingham), Birmingham Pistol Wholesale (Trussville), Brads Pawn & Jewelry (Birmingham), Calvary Longrifles LLC (Warrior) and 19 more.
Liquor stores
68 liquor stores are on the map in Jefferson County: ABC Liqour, ABC Liquor, ABC Select Spirits (Tarrant), ABZ Beverage (Birmingham), Alabama ABC Beverage (Birmingham), Alabama ABC Store #109 (Fultondale), Alabama ABC Store #11 (Birmingham), Alabama ABC Store #111 (Homewood) and 60 more. Alabama has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Jefferson County: Planned Parenthood SE, Inc (Birmingham).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County averaged 4,710 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 6.9 per 1,000 residents, 79% higher than the Alabama rate (3.8). The property-crime rate was 25.9 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
$66,388 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $63,999 for Alabama and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Jefferson County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.8% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 11,940 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Jefferson County?
Jefferson County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Very High), river flooding (Relatively High) and heat waves (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Jefferson County?
2 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Jefferson County: Interstate Lead Co. (Ilco) and 35Th Avenue.
Is there road construction in Jefferson County right now?
Jefferson County had 3 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Where crews are working: I-20/I-59. 3 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Jefferson County?
34 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Jefferson County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bibb County | 22,130 | 3.1 | $52,541 |
| Blount County | 59,518 | 2.1 | $64,190 |
| Shelby County | 230,211 | 1.4 | $97,961 |
| St. Clair County | 94,166 | 2.4 | $77,463 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 237,552 | 3.9 | $66,231 |
| Walker County | 64,841 | 2.8 | $56,509 |
Cities in Jefferson County with their own page: Birmingham, Hoover.
More: Alabama statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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