How long is the commute from Birmingham, AL?

Name: Commute and cars in Birmingham, AL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in Birmingham, AL take an average of 20.8 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

73.7% of workers drive alone to work.

1.2% take public transportation.

3.5% of workers walk to work.

9.9% work from home.

12.0% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 20.8 minutes (±0.5)
Public transportation: 1.2%
Work from home: 9.9%
Households without a car: 12.0%

How people in Birmingham get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Birmingham	Jefferson County	Alabama	United States
Drove alone	73.7% (±1.5 points)	77.3%	80.6%	68.8%
Carpooled	9.5% (±0.9 points)	8.2%	8.0%	8.5%
Public transportation	1.2% (±0.5 points)	0.6%	0.3%	3.2%
Walked	3.5% (±0.5 points)	1.6%	1.1%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	2.2% (±0.5 points)	1.3%	1.1%	2.0%
Worked from home	9.9% (±1.0 points)	11.1%	8.8%	15.1%

In Birmingham, the average commute is lower than in Jefferson County (24.1 minutes).

It is also lower than in Alabama (25.5 minutes).

It is lower than the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In Birmingham, the share commuting by public transportation is higher than in Jefferson County (0.6%).

It is also higher than in Alabama (0.3%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.2%).

In Jefferson County, Birmingham ranks 36 of 40 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 428 of 502.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in Birmingham

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Birmingham	Jefferson County	Alabama	United States
No vehicle	12.0% (±1.0 points)	7.0%	5.4%	8.4%
1 vehicle	45.1% (±1.5 points)	35.2%	31.6%	33.1%
2 vehicles	28.3% (±1.2 points)	35.6%	36.6%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	14.6% (±1.1 points)	22.2%	26.4%	21.9%

In Birmingham, the share of households without a vehicle is higher than in Jefferson County (7.0%).

It is also higher than in Alabama (5.4%).

It is higher than the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in Birmingham

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Birmingham	Jefferson County	Alabama	United States
Workers working from home	9.9% (±1.0 points)	11.1% (±0.6 points)	8.8% (±0.2 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	94.0% (±0.8 points)	95.4% (±0.4 points)	93.7% (±0.2 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	87.0% (±0.9 points)	90.4% (±0.6 points)	87.5% (±0.2 points)	91.0%

In Birmingham, the share of households with a broadband subscription is lower than in Jefferson County (90.4%).

It is not measurably different from Alabama (87.5%).

It is lower than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near Birmingham

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Birmingham
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Birmingham	—	20.8 minutes (±0.5)	—
Mountain Brook	4.4 mi	16.4 minutes (±1.1)	Lower
Homewood	4.8 mi	17.1 minutes (±0.9)	Lower
Tarrant	4.9 mi	26.5 minutes (±3.9)	Higher
Vestavia Hills	5.6 mi	19.3 minutes (±0.8)	Lower
Fultondale	6.2 mi	28.0 minutes (±3.7)	Higher
Forestdale	6.7 mi	26.0 minutes (±1.9)	Higher
Fairfield	7.9 mi	20.7 minutes (±1.6)	Not measurably different
Irondale	8.0 mi	22.3 minutes (±2.2)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Mountain Brook, AL (16.4 minutes), Homewood, AL (17.1 minutes), Vestavia Hills, AL (19.3 minutes).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Tarrant, AL (26.5 minutes), Fultondale, AL (28.0 minutes), Forestdale, AL (26.0 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across Jefferson County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
30	Lipscomb	25.3 minutes (±4.7)
31	Hoover	25.2 minutes (±1.4)
32	North Johns	24.8 minutes (±6.6)
33	Warrior	24.3 minutes (±2.4)
34	Midfield	23.8 minutes (±2.4)
35	Irondale	22.3 minutes (±2.2)
36	Birmingham	20.8 minutes (±0.5)
37	Fairfield	20.7 minutes (±1.6)
38	Vestavia Hills	19.3 minutes (±0.8)
39	Homewood	17.1 minutes (±0.9)
40	Mountain Brook	16.4 minutes (±1.1)

Showing 11 of 40 places in Jefferson County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Birmingham

How long is the average commute in Birmingham?

Workers who live in Birmingham, AL take an average of 20.8 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Birmingham without a car?

12.0% of households in Birmingham have no vehicle, and 1.2% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Birmingham?

9.9% (±1.0 points) of workers who live in Birmingham worked from home, and 87.0% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Birmingham city, Alabama (place:07000, in state:01).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.