Metropolitan statistical area
Birmingham
AL · 1.12M residents · CBSA 13820
Total wealth · absolute mobility 18th percentile nationally
Higher is better.
Share: County-by-county total wealth on absolute mobility. Color shows each county's position
on the national distribution
(how to read the map).
The five lenses at a glance
Each row shows where Birmingham sits on the national distribution for one
economic concept across all three mobility measures.
Total income
All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.
α Absolute mobility 15th percentile
this county national median
25.53 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 85th percentile
this county national median
0.40 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 91st percentile
this county national median
The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.
Labor income
Income earned from work (wages and salaries).
α Absolute mobility 15th percentile
this county national median
31.01 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 80th percentile
this county national median
0.38 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 83rd percentile
this county national median
11.70 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.
Homeownership
The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).
α Absolute mobility 19th percentile
this county national median
53.12 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 77th percentile
this county national median
0.47 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 27th percentile
this county national median
-11.13 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.
Housing wealth
The value of housing assets a person holds.
α Absolute mobility 17th percentile
this county national median
34.21 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 77th percentile
this county national median
0.41 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 71st percentile
this county national median
-0.15 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.
Total wealth
The total value of all assets a person holds.
α Absolute mobility 17th percentile
this county national median
33.42 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 81st percentile
this county national median
0.38 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 82nd percentile
this county national median
7.86 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.
Constituent counties (7)
Raw α / β / δ values for total wealth across each county in the metro.
| County | State | α (absolute mobility) | β (persistence) | δ (extensive margin) | n |
|---|
| Bibb | AL | 32.68 | 0.292 | 2.38 | 250 |
| Blount | AL | 44.41 | 0.226 | 3.70 | 650 |
| Chilton | AL | 39.16 | 0.238 | -0.58 | 500 |
| Jefferson | AL | 30.05 | 0.447 | 9.33 | 6100 |
| Shelby | AL | 40.47 | 0.335 | 8.62 | 1400 |
| St. Clair | AL | 34.94 | 0.315 | 7.35 | 800 |
| Walker | AL | 32.96 | 0.283 | 6.15 | 800 |