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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Birmingham, AL

Population: 200,431 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
55/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$6.2B
Per Capita
$30,790
Total Revenue
$16.0B
Total Debt
$565.8M

Spending Breakdown

Other
36.1%$2.2B
Housing & Community Development
17.8%$1.1B
Utilities
17.7%$1.1B
Public Welfare
6.9%$422.9M
Parks & Recreation
5.9%$365.5M
Hospitals
4.9%$301.7M
Fire Protection
3.7%$230.8M
Highways & Roads
2.8%$170.0M
Health
2.2%$137.0M
Sewerage
1.9%$119.0M
Police
0.1%$4.4M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.1%$8.8M
Sales Tax
0.4%$56.3M
Intergovernmental
0.6%$93.9M
Charges & Fees
13.1%$2.1B
Other
0.9%$147.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$22/person
Fire Protection$1,152/person
Highways & Roads$848/person
Parks & Recreation$1,823/person
Health$683/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$565.8M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$2,823
Cash & Securities$312.7M

Compare Cities

See how Birmingham stacks up against another city.

vs Huntsville, ALvs Montgomery, ALvs Mobile, AL
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Alabama

Huntsville, AL

Pop. 215K

C
Total Spending
$3.4B
Per Capita
$16,033

Montgomery, AL

Pop. 200K

C
Total Spending
$946.6M
Per Capita
$4,738

Mobile, AL

Pop. 186K

C
Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$15,777

Tuscaloosa, AL

Pop. 106K

C
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$10,894

Compare Birmingham With

Huntsville, AL

Spending: $16,033/person · Grade: C

Montgomery, AL

Spending: $4,738/person · Grade: C

Mobile, AL

Spending: $15,777/person · Grade: C

Tuscaloosa, AL

Spending: $10,894/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Birmingham, AL spends $30,790 per resident, based on total expenditures of $6.2B for a population of 200,431. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (55/100).

Birmingham, AL has total expenditures of $6.2B and total revenue of $16.0B. The city carries $565.8M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Birmingham, AL employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Birmingham, AL has a Fiscal Health Score of C (55/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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