The Birmingham metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,115,289, the largest metropolitan area in Alabama. Birmingham is still a manufacturing hub but has diversified into other areas, including banking, telecommunications, transportation, electrical power transmission, medical care, college education, and insurance.Birmingham is home to the most medical, law, and other advanced universities and colleges in Alabama. It’s also the headquarters of the SEC athletic conference, which attracts many large and small companies. Birmingham is home to some Fortune 1000 companies, including Regions Financial, Saks Inc., Vulcan Materials, HealthSouth Corp., Compass Banesh, and Protective Life Corp.
There are plenty of exciting things to do and see in Birmingham. The city is home to museums, historic landmarks, theaters, and great restaurants. The Birmingham Museum of Art has over 25,000 objects, from Asia, America, Europe, Africa, Native America, and more. At the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, you can walk through the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s. You’ll also want to visit the McWane Science Center for kids, Vulcan Park and Museum, Sloss Furnaces, the Alabama Theater, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and the Birmingham Zoo, which has over 950 animals from six different continents.
Birmingham has many business and development opportunities, and the city has been ranked 37th out of the 50 best places in America for starting a business and #2 for large cities with the most successful female entrepreneurs. Birmingham has also been named one of the top 5 emerging tech hot spots. Long known for steel, Birmingham is now one of the fastest-rising cities in America for startups. Birmingham is affordable for businesses, and produces over 23,000 graduates each year, providing plenty of local talent. The city has what it takes to attract business.