Alabama

Jefferson

674,721

2020 population

1830

first census record

census records

About Jefferson

Jefferson, Alabama, first appears in the United States federal census in 1830, when it recorded a population of 6,855. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 674,721.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 5 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Skirmish at Elyton (Home Guard vs Deserters 1864), Action at Elyton / Jones Valley, Raid on Elyton (Birmingham area), and 188 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census Year	Population	Chart
2020	674,721
2010	658,466
2000	662,047
1990	651,525
1980	671,324
1970	644,991
1960	634,864
1950	558,928
1940	459,930
1930	431,493
1920	310,054
1910	226,476
1900	140,420
1890	88,501
1880	23,272
1870	12,345
1860	11,746
1850	8,989
1840	7,131
1830	6,855

Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Jefferson

Military engagements that took place in Jefferson, Alabama.

Skirmish at Elyton (Home Guard vs Deserters 1864)

1864

Action at Elyton / Jones Valley

1865

Raid on Elyton (Birmingham area)

1865

Battle of Elyton (AL) – Wilson's Raid

1865

Wilson's Raid — Elyton (Birmingham) Engagement

1865

Historic places in Jefferson

National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson, Alabama.

Owen Plantation House

Bessemer

Sixteenth Street Baptist Church

Birmingham

Oak Hill Cemetery

Birmingham

Powell Avenue Steam Plant

Birmingham

West Park

Birmingham

Woodlawn Historic District

Birmingham

Woodlawn Comercial Historic District

Birmingham

Anderson Place Historic District (Boundary Increase)

Birmingham

Bethel Baptist Church, Parsonage, and Guardhouse

Collegeville

First National-John A. Hand Building

Birmingham

Sloss Blast Furnace Site

Canaan Baptist Church

Bessemer

Brown, Dr. A. M., House

Birmingham

Southern Railway Terminal Station

Bessemer

Birmingham-Southern College

Browse all Alabamahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Alabama

Explore census history and historic records for more Alabama counties.

Fayette Franklin Geneva Greene Hale Henry Houston Jackson Lamar Lauderdale Lawrence Lee Limestone Lowndes Macon Madison Marengo Marion Marshall Mobile

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Everything a full report reveals about Jefferson County, Alabama

This page charts the census history of Jefferson County, Alabama. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Alabamahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Military engagements ›Notable people from Alabama›

Frequently asked about Jefferson

When does Jefferson first appear in the US census?

Jefferson, Alabama first appears in the federal census in 1830, with a recorded population of 6,855.

What is the population of Jefferson?

At the most recent federal census (2020), Jefferson had a recorded population of 674,721.

Were any battles fought in Jefferson?

5 documented military engagements took place in Jefferson, including Skirmish at Elyton (Home Guard vs Deserters 1864), Action at Elyton / Jones Valley, Raid on Elyton (Birmingham area).

How many historic places are in Jefferson?

188 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson, Alabama.

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