Census Bureau data for Bessemer city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Bessemer city
- What is the median household income in Bessemer city?
- The median household income in Bessemer city is $37,844 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Bessemer city?
- The poverty rate in Bessemer city is 23.9% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Bessemer city?
- $129,800 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Bessemer city?
- The median gross rent in Bessemer city is $922 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Bessemer city residents have a college degree?
- 14.4% of adults in Bessemer city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
25,655
Median Income
$37,844
Median Home Value
$129,800
Poverty Rate
23.9%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
8.8%
Median Age
42.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$5,543 (+17.2%)
Home Value:
+$43,300 (+50.1%)
Poverty Rate:
+2.4 pp (+11.2%)
Bachelor's+:
0.0 pp (+0%)
Unemployment:
-6.1 pp (-40.9%)
Demographics
Total Population
25,655
Median Age
42.0
Female
52.8%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
White (non-Hisp.) 18.5%
Black 70.6%
Asian 0.2%
Two or More 4.3%
Other 5.1%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Korean
0.1%
Vietnamese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
5.5%
Puerto Rican
0.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$37,844
±$3,626
-$24,183 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$58,717
Median Family Income
$52,500
Poverty Rate
23.9%
+12.6 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
48.5%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
27.9%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
25.2%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
9.8%
$10–15k
8.5%
$15–25k
16.1%
$25–35k
12.3%
$35–50k
15.1%
$50–75k
12.8%
$75–100k
9.9%
$100–150k
10.3%
$150–200k
3.5%
$200k+
1.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
12,612
Owner-Occupied
55.1%
Renter-Occupied
44.9%
Vacancy Rate
16.0%
Median Home Value
$129,800
-$65,300 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$922
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
36.4%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
43.2%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
12.0%
$50–100k
26.8%
$100–200k
18.0%
$200–300k
18.1%
$300–500k
7.1%
$500k–$1M
1.0%
$1M+
0.3%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
20.7%
$500–1k
42.5%
$1–1.5k
29.1%
$1.5–2k
4.1%
$2–2.5k
1.3%
$2.5–3.5k
2.2%
$3.5k+
0.2%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
10.1%
1 vehicle
41.2%
2 vehicles
28.6%
3+
20.1%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
72.7%
Single-fam. att.
3.6%
2–4 units
5.6%
5–19 units
3.7%
20+ units
4.4%
Mobile home
2.5%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
19.0%
1940–1969
10.6%
1970–1999
12.2%
2000–2009
10.0%
2010+
3.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
86.9%
Bachelor's or Higher
14.4%
-13.4 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
5.1%
Some College / Associate
24.3%
Less Than High School
4.1%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
50.0%
Unemployment Rate
8.8%
+4.0 pp vs. state
Work from Home
9.6%
Self-Employed
3.2%
Government Workers
14.6%
Private For-Profit
81.9%
Industry
Edu/Health
22.0%
Manufacturing
14.3%
Retail
13.4%
Transportation
10.4%
Arts/Entmt.
10.3%
Finance
8.8%
Prof. Services
6.7%
Public Admin
4.0%
Construction
3.2%
Wholesale
1.8%
Agriculture
1.1%
Information
0.4%
Occupation
Production
26.4%
Sales
23.9%
Management
22.5%
Food Prep
21.6%
Construction
5.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
25.6 min
Drove Alone
76.5%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
1.3%
Work from Home
9.6%
Walked
2.2%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
10,598
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
22.5%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
2.8%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
7.0%
5–9
4.9%
10–14
6.5%
15–19
5.1%
20–24
6.3%
25–34
11.1%
35–44
10.6%
45–54
11.6%
55–64
7.6%
65–74
7.6%
75–84
12.8%
85+
6.0%
Under 18: 20.8%
Working age (18–64): 79.2%
65 and over: 21.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
3.5%
Naturalized Citizen
12.5%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
4.1%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
94.1%
Asia
4.4%
Europe
1.4%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
7.7%
With a Disability
24.7%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
86.1%
Uninsured
13.9%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
81.5%
Has a Computer
90.3%
Same House 1 Year Ago
86.7%
Moved from Abroad
1.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023