The City of Birmingham, Alabama, is a municipal corporation under the laws of the State of Alabama. Birmingham is the largest city in the state with a population currently estimated at 242,820, and a metro population of 1,079,089.

Nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at the cross-section of two major railroads, the city was once the primary industrial center of the southern United States. At the height of the nation’s manufacturing age, the city grew so fast in population, it was called the “Magic City.” Today, Birmingham has transformed itself into a medical research, banking and service-based economy, making it one of the nation’s most livable cities with a vibrant downtown, a burgeoning loft community, a world-class culinary scene and more green space per capita than any other city in the nation!

Birmingham also boasts 99 historic neighborhoods and is often referred to as the cradle of the American Civil Rights Movement. The average (high) temperature in the city is 65°; the average low is 51°. The city is centrally located in the southeast and easily accessible to major hubs in the region.

BIRMINGHAM STATS:
• Ranks 13th among the largest southeastern metropolitan areas
• Represents 24 percent of Alabama’s total population
• Represents 31 percent of Alabama’s total payroll dollars
• Ranks 48th in population among the nation’s top 300 metropolitan areas
• Home to 40,680 Businesses

Area: 5,332 square miles–MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)—Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker Counties.
Birmingham: 151 Square Miles

LARGEST EMPLOYERS:
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center
Baptist Medical Centers
BellSouth
Honda Manufacturing Plant
Mercedes – Benz Manufacturing Plant
Protective Life Insurance Headquarters
Regions Bank, NA. Headquarters
Wells Fargo Bank
BBVA Compass Bank
Alabama Power Company Headquarters
Books-A-Million Headquarters
Energen Corporation
SONAT Corporation

EDUCATION: Three universities, three colleges, four junior colleges, three technical schools, three religious training schools, four business and 276 public schools.
GOVERNMENT: Birmingham, the county seat, is one of 33 separately incorporated municipalities in Jefferson County. The City has a mayor/council form of government.
RESTAURANTS: There are more than 500 restaurants in the Birmingham area. This number includes full service restaurants, cafeterias, fast food outlets and hotel and motel establishments.
CHURCHES: The Birmingham metropolitan area has over 1,300 churches, and church membership is held by approximately 60 percent of the population

MAJOR INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY
For many years Birmingham was a one-industry town, dependent on the iron and steel industry. Today, though, Birmingham’s economy relies more heavily on the medical industry as well as trade, finance, research and government. The major industrial investments in Birmingham have been in automotive components manufacturing and distribution, machinery, and the metals industries. At the base of the expanding telecommunications industry is one of two regional corporate headquarters of BellSouth Telephone Company. Birmingham is headquarters for the engineering and technical services of several power companies, including Alabama Power Company, ENERGEN Corporation, and SONAT. Metro Birmingham is a leading retail and wholesale trade center for Alabama and parts of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi. According to the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, projections for the fastest-growing occupations in Birmingham through 2012 include jobs in medical services. A mecca for health care and medical research, Birmingham boasts the University of Alabama Medical Center, known throughout the world for its research on the treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, AIDS, and arthritis. Birmingham’s Southern Research Institute, the largest nonprofit independent research laboratory in the southeast, has gained national prominence.

With a plethora of Birmingham businesses working in international trade and warehousing and with the city’s nearby waterways, Birmingham is a major distribution center. The city’s proximity to the Warrior-Tombigbee River System, which connects to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, enables Birmingham to be a major shipper of general commodities. Birmingham has also experienced significant growth as a transportation hub because of its central southeast location, and the fact that it is served by eight airlines, five air cargo services, approximately 100 truck lines, four railroads, and more than ten barge lines. Multimillion-dollar runway and cargo facility expansions at Birmingham International Airport took place in 2004 as part of the city’s efforts to encourage further growth in the transportation and distribution industries.

Items and goods produced: cast iron pipe, transportation equipment (automotive, rail, and aircraft equipment), fabricated metal products, electronics, plastic products, office furniture, containers, paper products, and fire extinguishers

INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR NEW AND EXISTING COMPANIES
The City of Birmingham Office of Economic Development (OED) provides a wide variety of federal, state and locally-sponsored programs and activities, including financial assistance, employment and training, business assistance and retention programs, and site specific targeted economic development initiatives.

LOCAL PROGRAMS
The Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) is a one-stop center for small business finance and related technical assistance. BBRC is sponsored by the City of Birmingham and area banks. It brings together in one location a number of small business loan programs previously offered by the Office of Economic Development and area banks.

STATE PROGRAMS
Alabama boasts a progressive state business environment as demonstrated by its comprehensive right-to-work laws, one-stop environmental permitting, and a positive state and local government attitude toward new and expanding business. Tax rates are competitive; for example, employers who provide or sponsor an approved basic skills education program qualify to receive a 20 percent credit on state corporate income tax liability. The Alabama Enterprise Zone Program helps attract new business to Alabama with tax breaks to those operating in the designated 10,000-acre industrial area. Information about these incentives is available through the Alabama Development Office.

COMMERCIAL SHIPPING
Born at the junction of two railroads, and always an important transportation center, Birmingham today is served by an outstanding network of highways, extensive rail track, aircargo facilities, and nearby navigable waterways. The CSX and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad systems haul freight to and from the metropolitan area, where a multimodal system is located. More than 100 truck lines, many with nationwide service, and five air-cargo firms move goods and products for Birmingham companies. Birmingham’s Airport Industrial Park is designated as a Foreign Trade Zone, a major asset in attracting additional business to the area. General commodities are transported economically on barges along the nearby Warrior-Tombigbee River System and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to other inland cities and through the Port of Mobile to foreign countries.

LABOR FORCE AND EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
Birmingham’s transformed economy is now less dependent on cyclical manufacturing and mining sectors and more on health and financial services. Birmingham is the state’s center for advanced technology and there are more engineers per capita living in the local area than in any other southeastern city.
Birmingham, like other Alabama cities, enjoys a good reputation in Asia. Local analysts predict that the region will continue to be a magnet for overseas capital.

WHY INVEST IN BIRMINGHAM, AL?
Now is an excellent time to add Birmingham area real estate to your investment portfolio.
Birmingham area home prices are currently at historically low levels and current rental rates are on the rise. Below are just a few reasons you should buy investment property in Birmingham, Alabama:
• It is the largest and most populated city in the State of Alabama
• It is one of the most affordable cities in the U.S. to live in.
• The cost of living in Birmingham, AL is 6.5% less than the Alabama average.
• The cost of living in Birmingham, AL is 13% less than the national average.
• It is one of the most important business centers in the Southeastern U.S.
• The local economy is diversified with manufacturing, higher education, medical professions, and banking being among the top employers.
• It has three nationally recognized universities, four junior colleges, three technical schools, & three religious training schools.
• Home prices are currently at historically low levels.
• Over 46 percent of the local population are renters.
• High rental rates vs. lower home values allow for excellent cash flow opportunities.
• Rental demand and rates are currently on the rise.