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BIRMINGHAM AREA OVERVIEW
The Birmingham area, also defined as the jurisdictional planning region for the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, consists of the six centrally located counties of the State of Alabama including Blount, Chilton, Jefferson (Birmigham City), St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker Counties. It is located in the wooded foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, giving the area a diverse and unique topography.
The region became active in the late 19th century with the advent of the industrial boom and the economy was centered around the coal and iron ore industry, and it quickly became the South's foremost industrial center. Over time, the industrial and manufacturing industies in the region have waned, giving rise as one of the nation's most prominent locations for medical and technology research. Today, the Birmingham region enjoys a diverse workforce, balancing the emerging automobile industry with the manufacturing, research, and service-oriented industies that have defined the region.
Because of its strategic location, Birmingham and the surrounding areas became a center for roads, railways and airline traffic. With the development of the transportation infrastructure, the region became a hub in the Southeast for the movement of freight and developed into the economic center of the state.
The region's population has increased from 966,670 in 2000 to 1,086,675 in 2007, an increase of 12%. Currently, the suburban areas located along major transportation routes have seen the largest increases of population and housing, though recent urban developments within the Birmingham City Center have shown a demand for urban living is on the rise.
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