Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Birmingham as a whole is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Birmingham differs from Alabama on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Birmingham. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Birmingham
Birmingham is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Birmingham is healthier than 15%. Against the 4,368 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 46%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Birmingham
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.2%), vs 19.2% across Alabama. Utility shut-off threats (17.2% vs 9.6%) and housing insecurity (22.2% vs 13.9%) are higher too. 26.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Birmingham
51% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 56.9% across Alabama. Among those 65 and older, 23.3% have lost all their teeth (Alabama 15.4%). Checkups ↓
Loneliness runs high in Birmingham
2 in 5 adults feel lonely (41%), vs 35.4% across Alabama. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 27.9%, vs 24.8% across Alabama. Mind & connection ↓
Birmingham has six hospitals within its borders
6 hospitals and 3 community health centers are inside Birmingham. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alabama figure falls outside Birmingham’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Birmingham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Birmingham is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #130 of 187 in Alabama. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 48% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 3%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Birmingham’s median household income is $46,051; among the 4,368 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Few Alabama towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Birmingham is healthier than 30% of graded towns, against 15% nationally.
Where Birmingham compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%); mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74), 83.2% (U.S. 76.4%).
At 195,893 residents, Birmingham is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.9% of Birmingham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Keeping up with care
Share of Birmingham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Birmingham adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Birmingham runs above Alabama.
2 in 5 Birmingham adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Care in and near Birmingham
6 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Birmingham.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Birmingham; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Birmingham adults…
Birmingham runs below AL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
70 miles of trails across 78 parks and preserves
Birmingham and the towns around it
Birmingham’s Health Grade ranks 9th of 10 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | D | 42.2% | 19.2% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| Irondale | B+ | 33.5% | 12.4% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Center Point | D− | 46% | 19.5% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Homewood | A | 29.7% | 8.3% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Mountain Brook | A+ | 26.8% | 9% | 6.5% | CDC place |
| Trussville | A | 31.2% | 10.8% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Vestavia Hills | A | 29.1% | 10.5% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Hoover | A | 30.2% | 10.5% | 9.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Birmingham adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Birmingham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Birmingham is better than Alabama on 2 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Birmingham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Birmingham | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.9%24.5–29.4 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.8–15.9 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.6–20.5 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.2%37.7–46.8 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.2%17.3–21.2 | 14.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.8%43.7–49.9 | 43.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.5–41.9 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%26.2–31.2 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.4%5–5.8 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.3%19.9–27 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.7–18.6 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.8%30.4–37.4 | 28.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%11.1–15.4 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42%37.8–46.4 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.2%9.8–12.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79.2–84.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51%47.4–54.6 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.4–86.9 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.9%76.8–80.9 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.9%65.9–73.7 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.2%78.3–87.4 | 77.9% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%19.4–25 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 41%37.3–44.9 | 35.4% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.9%24.9–31.2 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.2%28.7–33.9 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22.2%20.1–24.5 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 17.2%15.5–19 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.5%14.1–17.1 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.9%24.5–29.4 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40%36.7–43.5 | 36.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21%19.1–22.9 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16.4–20 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.4 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 8.8%8.1–9.5 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.3%11.2–13.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%6.3–7.4 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Birmingham
Is Birmingham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Birmingham is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: D for health, #130 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Birmingham?
CDC estimates 42.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.7% and 46.8%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Birmingham?
St. Vincent's Birmingham in Birmingham, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Birmingham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Birmingham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–12.8%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Birmingham more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Birmingham.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.