Southlake Village
Closed4524 Southlake Pkwy, Birmingham, AL 35244
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham, Alabama, sits in the Jones Valley of north-central Alabama, framed by Appalachian foothills and ridges such as Red Mountain and Ruffner Mountain. Founded in 1871 around deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone, the city rapidly became an industrial and railroad powerhouse known as the “Magic City.” Today, Birmingham is Alabama’s largest metropolitan area, with about 1.18 million residents, and serves as a major medical, educational, financial, cultural, and transportation hub for the Deep South. Its legacy includes influential steelmaking, the landmark civil rights movement, nationally recognized hospitals and research, and a growing downtown arts and dining scene.
Recreational Delights
Birmingham offers abundant inland outdoor recreation rather than traditional beach access. Railroad Park provides a landscaped downtown setting for walking, running, picnicking, and community events, while Kelly Ingram Park combines green space with important civil rights history. Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve features hiking trails, wildlife, and panoramic views, and Red Mountain Park adds extensive trails, overlooks, climbing areas, and historic mining landscapes. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens presents formal, Japanese, tropical, and rose gardens. Nearby Oak Mountain State Park, about 10 miles south, supports hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, camping, and triathlon events. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park blends trails and natural scenery with preserved industrial and Civil War-era history. Regional lakes—including Smith Lake, Lay Lake, Lake Purdy, and Bankhead Reservoir—are popular for bass fishing, boating, and waterside recreation. The Birmingham Zoo and Splash Adventure in nearby Bessemer provide family-oriented attractions, while the area’s golf courses, road races, and motorsports venues broaden its year-round recreational appeal.
Culinary Scene
Birmingham’s food culture reflects Southern traditions, a diverse population, and a strong independent-restaurant movement. Downtown, Five Points South, Southside, Lakeview, Avondale, and the Uptown district near the BJCC are among the most active areas for restaurants, bars, cafés, and nightlife. Diners can find Southern comfort food, barbecue, burgers, Gulf-influenced seafood, international cuisine, craft beer, and contemporary chef-driven menus. The city’s culinary identity is reinforced by locally based food and beverage companies such as Milo’s Hamburgers, Jack’s, Chester’s, Red Diamond, Grapico, and Buffalo Rock. Annual events add further variety, including the Greek Festival, Lebanese Food Festival, crawfish boil, Magic City Brewfest, and Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival. Upscale shopping and dining at The Summit expands the metropolitan food scene, while neighborhood coffee shops, breweries, food trucks, and independent eateries contribute to Birmingham’s evolving reputation as a creative Southern dining destination.
Demographics
- The Birmingham metropolitan area has approximately 1,184,613 residents, while the city itself had an estimated 196,357 residents in 2024. The metro is Alabama’s largest and includes more than 100 suburbs across seven counties.
- The supplied median age is 38.9 years, matching the U.S. median. Birmingham’s 2020 city median age was 36.7, with 18.7% of residents under 18 and 16.6% age 65 or older.
- Median household income is $71,498, below the U.S. median of $80,734. Birmingham has a substantial African American population and a civic identity deeply shaped by the modern civil rights movement.
Population
1,184,613
Growth 0.27%
Households
465,003
Growth 0.92%
Median Age
38.9
US Median Age 38.9
Median Household Income
$71,498
US Median Household Income $80,734
Sports
Baseball
Birmingham Barons
Soccer
Birmingham Legion FC
American football
Birmingham Stallions
Basketball
Birmingham Squadron
Education
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), a leading medical, dental, research, and professional-education institution
Samford University, including the Cumberland School of Law
Miles College, a historically Black college in the Birmingham area
Jefferson State Community College, a major regional community-college system
Entertainment
Birmingham Museum of Art, the largest municipal art museum in the Southeast
Alabama Theatre, a historic venue for films, concerts, and performances
Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts, home to major symphony, opera, concert, and lecture programs
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, featuring theaters, exhibition halls, concert facilities, and major events
Quality of Life
Birmingham combines relatively affordable Southern living with access to major hospitals, universities, cultural institutions, parks, and a broad metropolitan job market. Mild winters, hot summers, and abundant rainfall support year-round outdoor activity. Residents benefit from strong medical and educational resources, though neighborhood differences, transportation dependence, elevated sales taxes, and serious crime concerns affect the overall quality-of-life experience.
2022 Population by age
6%
0-4 Years
20%
5-19 Years
6%
20-24 Years
26%
25-44 Years
25%
45-64 Years
17%
65+ Years
Employers
4%
Unemployment rate
Employment sectors
Health Care and Social Assistance
16.03%
Retail Trade
11.96%
Manufacturing
10.29%
Educational Services
9.72%
Construction
7.38%
Finance and Insurance
7%
Accommodation and Food Services
6.77%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
6.76%
Transportation and Warehousing
4.95%
Public Administration
4.69%
Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services
3.97%
Wholesale Trade
2.74%
Utilities
2.06%
Other
5.69%