Jefferson County, Alabama, established on December 13, 1819, was named in honor of one of America’s founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson County is in the north-central portion of AL in the southern Appalachian Mountains. This fertile region lies within the heart of the coal, iron and limestone belt of the South.
Jefferson County encompasses 1,119 square miles and with a population of 662,047 (Census 2000 data), remains AL’s most densely populated county. A multitude of cities and towns comprise Jefferson County; however, the largest urban areas include Bessemer, Birmingham, Center Point, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Vestavia. Birmingham, population 242,820, serves as the seat of Jefferson County, where the affluent suburbs of Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills rest in the shadows of Red Mountain. Birmingham acts as the primary nucleus for the massive Greater Birmingham, whose population of 1,180,206 individuals accounts for nearly a quarter of Alabama’s entire populace.
Founded just after the Civil War in 1871, Birmingham’s planners poised this vibrant community as a regional center of industry from the outset. Birmingham prospered as a direct result of its location at the convergence of two major railroads, where deposits of coal, iron ore and limestone were in close proximity. These raw materials were the principal ingredients used in making steel.
Once the leading industrial center in America’s South, Birmingham, also known as “The Pittsburg of the South”, now operates with a diverse economic base. Important sectors include biotechnology, health care, insurance and publishing. Birmingham also ranks among the nation’s largest banking centers. Regions Financial, a Fortune 500 company, operates its headquarters from Birmingham, while the headquarters of five Fortune 1000 firms also conduct their business here. Birmingham ranks among the most prominent business centers in the Southern U.S. and is a top city for income growth. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the per capita income rose nearly one-hundred percent since 1990.
Jefferson County features interesting historical sites and popular tourist destinations. The area abounds with art galleries, museums, restaurants, theatrical venues and numerous developed parks that highlight the area’s natural splendor. Oak Mountain State Park, among others, provides the ideal setting for hikers, cyclers and other outdoor enthusiasts and is the host of the Bump N’ Grind mountain bike race and the Xterra Southeast Championship triathlon. Hoover plays host to amateur and professional golfers and is home to Regions Charity Classic, a stop along the PGA Champions Tour. Motorsports are also a popular attraction in the region, where sites such as Barber Motorsports Park and Talladega Superspeedway offer events for NASCAR and Superbike fans.
Educational facilities and programs play a vital role in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Board of Education serves many cities in the area; however, some communities established their own local school districts. Sections of Birmingham operate under the Birmingham City Schools. Among these fine primary and secondary institutions are gems such as the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School in Irondale, which Newsweek rated as America’s top high school in 2005. Higher learning facilities in Jefferson County include Andrew Jackson University, Faulkner University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Montevallo.
Jefferson County, Alabama, encompassed in the Birmingham metro area, offers residents an excellent quality of life, unparalleled in the region.
