Income & Economy in Bessemer, AL
Household income, poverty rates, employment, and economic data — 2023 ACS Data
Income Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Median Household Income
$37,844
-48% vs national
Per Capita Income
$24,074
-35% vs national
Poverty Rate
30.7%
+126% vs national
Gini Index
0.4850
0 = perfect equality
Unemployment
8.8%
+69% vs national
SNAP Recipients
27.9%
of households
How Bessemer Compares
Source: Census ACS (2023)Bessemer vs Similar Cities
Source: Census ACS (2023)Compared to cities with 10,000 - 25,000 residents. Bessemer is highlighted.
Median Household Income
Per Capita Income
Poverty Rate
Unemployment Rate
Where Do You Stack Up?
Enter your household income to see how you compare to other households in Bessemer. The median household income here is $37,844.
Income Distribution
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Employment Snapshot
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Unemployment Rate
8.8%
+51% vs AL avg
Labor Force
10,375
Employed
9,464
Mean Commute
23 min
How People Get to Work
Source: Census ACS (2023)Employment by Sector
Source: Census ACS (2023)Education & Workforce
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Bachelor's Degree+
10.1%
of adults 25+
High School Diploma+
38.2%
of adults 25+
Median Age
42.8
Work from Home
9.6%
of workers
The median household income in Bessemer, AL is $37,844, which is 48.3% below the national average of $73,224. Per capita income is $24,074. The poverty rate of 30.7% is higher than the AL state average of 17.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.4850, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality. The unemployment rate is 8.8%, compared to the state average of 5.8%. 10.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The average commute time is 23 minutes, with 9.6% working from home.