When it comes the Gulf States, Birmingham is a classic southern city. If you are considering relocating to Birmingham, here is a snapshot of the city.

Birmingham is a medium sized city located in Jefferson County, Alabama. This city has a population of 242,820 residents, and is on the decline – with a loss of 8.5% of its numbers in the last ten years. Home to several famous residents, including politician Condoleeza Rice and Courteney Cox, actress, this city is a densely populated region (taking up 149.9 square miles). Birmingham is also known for its unique racial profile.

When relocating to Birmingham, there are a few facts to be considered. The median age of the residents in this city is 34.3 years, slightly younger than the median age of the rest of the United States. The median yearly household income in Birmingham is $26,735 – below the national average. Housing costs are below average as well, both for the state of Alabama and for the rest of the US. The cost of purchasing a home in Birmingham is, on average, $62,100. Many residents of the city choose to rent their housing, with monthly rates averaging $348.

The racial makeup of Birmingham, Alabama is unlike the rest of the state or of the United States. Here, 73.5% of the residents stated that they were Black, while only 23.5% stated that they were white/non-Hispanic. 1.6% of the residents indicated they were Hispanic. Only about 2.1% of the population is foreign-born, coming from outside of the US. 18.5% of the adult residents of Birmingham indicated they held a Bachelor's Degree or higher, and 38% of the adult population stated they were married as of the last census.

Also to be considered when relocating to Birmingham are the crime and weather conditions. The climate in Birmingham is similar to that of the rest of Alabama. Average high temperatures in the city reach about 90ºF throughout the summer months, and average low temperatures fall to around 32ºF in the winter. Precipitation (in the form of rain) is slightly more than average in the city of Birmingham, with amounts reaching up to six inches per month in the springtime. Crime is a problem in Birmingham, although not as bad as in some other urban areas. The national average on the crime index scale is 325.2, and Birmingham rated a score of 803.1.

Birmingham, Alabama is also in an area that receives a lot of tornado activity – tornadoes occur in the city about 197% more frequently than they do in the rest of the United States. Universities and colleges are located both within the city limits and nearby, with the University of Alabama at Birmingham being the largest. Birmingham is a large city, and the next nearest larger city is Chicago, Illinois (578.2 miles away).

Lou Ross is with MovingCompaniesforYou.com - a directory of moving companies along with helpful advice on moving issues.