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Neighborhood report

Bessemer, AL

Founded 1887Jefferson CountyElev. 155 m
Population
25,655
Median home
$129,800
Disaster risk
Relatively High
Public schools
16
Sex offenders
9

Overview

About Bessemer

Bessemer is home to roughly 25,655 residents. Bessemer was founded in 1887 and sits in Jefferson County. The median age is 42.8 and the median household income is $37,844. Homes carry a median value of $129,800, and about 55% of residents own where they live. Black residents make up the largest share of the population (70.6%). Around 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 26 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
25,655
Median age
42.8
Median household income
$37,844
Per-capita income
$24,074
Poverty rate
30.7%
High-school grad or higher
86.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher
14.4%
Unemployment
8.8%
Avg. commute
25.6 min
Work from home
9.6%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White18.5%
Hispanic or Latino8.2%
Black70.6%
Asian0.2%
Workforce by occupation
Production, transportation & material moving26.4%
Sales & office23.9%
Management, business, science & arts22.5%
Service21.6%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance5.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$129,800
Median gross rent
$922/mo
Owner-occupied
55.1%
Median year built
1963
Households
10,598
Avg. household size
2.36

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Below average

Bessemer has 16 public schools — 9 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 2 schools
Reading30%
Math22%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

Bessemer Center For TechnologyHighGrades 9–12
Bessemer City High SchoolHighGrades 9–12
New Horizon Alternative SchoolHighGrades 7–12
Oak Grove High SchoolHighGrades 6–12
Bessemer City Middle SchoolMiddleGrades 6–8
Abrams Elementary SchoolElementaryGrades -1–5
Charles F Hard Elementary SchoolElementaryGrades -1–5
Concord Elementary SchoolElementaryGrades -1–5
Empower Community SchoolElementarycharter
Greenwood Elementary SchoolElementary
Jonesboro Elementary SchoolElementaryGrades -1–5
McCalla Elementary SchoolElementaryGrades -1–5
Oak Grove Elementary SchoolElementaryGrades -1–5
Westhills Elementary SchoolElementary

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime515% above national
Bessemer2,372
Alabama405
United States386
↑ 62% higher than 2019
2019–2023
property crime307% above national
Bessemer7,947
Alabama1,765
United States1,952
↑ 115% higher than 2019
2019–2023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Bessemer Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

Toxic-release sites and regulated facilities in and around Bessemer.

Data source being added: U.S. EPA — Toxics Release Inventory (public). We show real, sourced figures only — never estimates.

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Relatively High
Top hazards · Jefferson County
LightningVery High
TornadoVery High
Cold waveRelatively High
Heat waveRelatively High
Ice stormRelatively High
Riverine floodingRelatively High

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Bessemer is in Jefferson County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Bessemer was founded in 1887 and sits in Jefferson County. Elevation ~155 m.

Population trend
28K26K25,65520102024
Map of Bessemer
Bessemer, AL
Where Bessemer is
HuntsvilleBirminghamMontgomeryMobileTuscaloosaHooverBessemer
Historic places

6 on the National Register of Historic Places.

Owen Plantation HouseOwen, Dr. Thomas McAdory, HouseMcAdory, Thomas, HouseSouthern Railway Terminal StationCanaan Baptist ChurchDunbar High School
Notable people from Bessemer
Gucci ManeAndré HollandLouisiana RedGlenn ShadixBo JacksonEmmit KingCurtis RoweDeMeco RyansAndre WilliamsDavid McCampbell
People searches in Bessemer
Michael Smith (4)John Smith (3)James Smith (3)David Smith (3)Robert Smith (3)Michael Johnson (3)John Johnson (3)James Johnson (3)Michael Williams (3)William Smith (2)David Johnson (2)Robert Johnson (2)John Williams (2)Michael Brown (2)Michael Jones (2)James Williams (2)David Williams (2)John Brown (2)Robert Williams (2)John Jones (2)William Johnson (2)Mary Smith (2)James Brown (2)James Jones (2)
Nearby cities
Hueytown (4 mi)Helena (8 mi)Hoover (9 mi)Homewood (11 mi)Alabaster (14 mi)Pelham (14 mi)

Registered sex offenders in Bessemer, AL (9)

Public sex-offender registry records for Bessemer, Alabama.

Joseph Hill, 83
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35023
Joseph Tyrone Smith, 34
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35020
AKA X Fat, Joseph Smith
Matthew Galen Cambron, 22
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35022
AKA Matthew White
William Flynn Walker, 69
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35023
AKA Flynn Walker, William Walker
David Garcia, 60
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35022
Horace Mckinley Lawrence, 56
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35020
AKA Horace Mckinely Lawrence, John Johnson
Johnny Johnson, 91
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35020
James Allen, 77
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35020
AKA X None
Carl V Paige, 70
Bessemer · Jefferson County · 35020
AKA Carl Paige, James Wilson

Source: Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and state registries. Public record. This information is provided for public awareness. Using it to harass, threaten, or discriminate against any registrant, or for any purpose prohibited by law, is illegal. Verify against the official registry record before relying on it.

Common questions

Bessemer — frequently asked

What is the population of Bessemer, Alabama?
Bessemer has a population of about 25,655, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Bessemer?
The median home value in Bessemer is $129,800, and the median gross rent is $922/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Bessemer safe? What is the crime rate?
Bessemer Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 2,372 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — higher than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Bessemer face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County as "Relatively High" overall, with top hazards including lightning, tornado, cold wave.
How many schools are in Bessemer?
Bessemer has 16 public schools (9 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Bessemer?
Public registry data lists 9 registered sex offenders in or near Bessemer. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
Look up a person in Bessemer →