Jobs, pay and daily life in Forestdale, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Forestdale is a city in Alabama with 9,742 residents. The median household earns $66,569 a year and the median rent is $1,203 a month, which is 21.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 520,290 jobs.
How Forestdale compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Forestdale is #71 by population, #60 for remote work (#1 = most), #51 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #35 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Jefferson County, is #3 of 67 counties for average pay ($71,562).
Forestdale has 9,742 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Alabama. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,444 people per square mile. The median age is 41.7, 6% older than the state median (41.7 against 39.3). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,203 a month (rent plus utilities), 19% above the state median ($1,203 against $1,007). Over a year that is 21.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $164,000, which is 2.5 times the median household income ($66,569); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 69.0% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (69.0% against 70.2%).
The Birmingham, AL metropolitan area has 520,290 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,770 a year, 6% below the national median ($47,770 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (61,750 jobs, median $44,450); sales and related (52,600 jobs, median $36,720); transportation and material moving (48,440 jobs, median $41,030). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.4 times) and legal (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($107,070) and computer and mathematical ($97,580). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson County was 3.8%. 59.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 86.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 5.8% work from home. 11.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 20% below the state average (11.7% against 14.7%).
27.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 3% below the state share (27.5% against 28.4%). 1.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 57% below the state share (1.7% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 17.8%, 14% above the state rate (17.8% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 42°F (5.6°C). About 1,368 mm (54 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (139 mm) and Oct the driest (80 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Fultondale (6 miles, rent 5% higher); Birmingham (7 miles, rent 8% lower); Fairfield (7 miles, rent 16% lower); Pleasant Grove (7 miles, rent 16% higher). Rent differences are against Forestdale; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideJefferson CountyAlabama rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 17,850 | 1.58 | $78,680 | $62,230 | $102,960 | -19% |
| Retail Salespersons | 15,280 | 1.17 | $31,450 | $23,450 | $46,160 | -11% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 10,900 | 1.91 | $44,580 | $30,960 | $60,380 | -6% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 10,890 | 1.15 | $35,660 | $29,580 | $48,810 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 10,690 | 1.03 | $29,310 | $22,400 | $36,140 | -11% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 10,080 | 0.78 | $27,020 | $22,010 | $33,990 | -13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,850 | 1.13 | $40,530 | $31,400 | $58,660 | -9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 9,170 | 1.33 | $54,460 | $38,370 | $77,460 | -7% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 8,200 | 0.83 | $37,500 | $28,600 | $48,030 | -7% |
| General and Operations Managers | 7,950 | 0.68 | $123,560 | $61,350 | $278,780 | +17% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 7,790 | 1.61 | $78,660 | $52,140 | $128,530 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,000 | 0.92 | $27,670 | $16,840 | $36,540 | -21% |
| Nursing Assistants | 6,380 | 1.32 | $35,470 | $29,800 | $39,110 | -16% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 6,210 | 1.50 | $71,450 | $39,290 | $128,110 | -1% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 6,120 | 2.85 | $28,320 | $23,800 | $34,650 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 5,860 | 1.56 | $46,210 | $28,880 | $77,120 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 5,820 | 1.21 | $64,170 | $45,070 | $100,160 | -8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,760 | 0.78 | $33,370 | $25,080 | $43,730 | -9% |
| Security Guards | 5,660 | 1.32 | $33,820 | $23,070 | $44,410 | -11% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 5,430 | 1.18 | $47,330 | $32,160 | $61,680 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,420 | 1.24 | $237,040 | $112,820 | $384,160 | -11% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 750 | 4.31 | $175,850 | $101,450 | $235,860 | -26% |
| Lawyers | 2,800 | 1.11 | $170,230 | $65,650 | $272,900 | +7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 600 | 0.81 | $166,670 | $107,440 | $265,380 | -3% |
| Financial Managers | 2,700 | 0.96 | $153,930 | $99,530 | $292,490 | -8% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,230 | 0.99 | $140,230 | $83,880 | $217,290 | -20% |
| Pharmacists | 1,550 | 1.44 | $138,800 | $107,330 | $161,190 | -1% |
| Computer Network Architects | 880 | 1.46 | $131,140 | $74,810 | $168,740 | -2% |
| Marketing Managers | 660 | 0.50 | $130,160 | $76,750 | $227,330 | -22% |
| Human Resources Managers | 620 | 0.84 | $127,080 | $77,180 | $215,000 | -15% |
| Software Developers | 3,830 | 0.68 | $125,410 | $74,110 | $175,330 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 7,950 | 0.68 | $123,560 | $61,350 | $278,780 | +17% |
| Sales Managers | 1,560 | 0.73 | $119,740 | $59,400 | $212,420 | -19% |
| Information Security Analysts | 670 | 1.06 | $115,520 | $68,310 | $164,520 | -11% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 650 | 0.79 | $113,270 | $64,630 | $194,060 | -10% |
| Electrical Engineers | 900 | 1.35 | $112,960 | $64,630 | $166,820 | -6% |
| Management Analysts | 1,290 | 0.43 | $108,220 | $64,270 | $203,800 | +6% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,350 | 1.25 | $107,700 | $89,240 | $137,560 | -19% |
| Construction Managers | 2,460 | 1.93 | $102,170 | $63,340 | $162,950 | -11% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 2,060 | 2.78 | $100,950 | $61,270 | $212,070 | -6% |
These figures are for the whole Birmingham, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,770 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.7% |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 8.2% |
| Retail trade | 8.0% |
| Construction | 5.8% |
| Public administration | 5.1% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Forestdale lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 667,755 | $65,539 million | $98,149 | 367,081 | 22,923 | $71,562 | +1.2% | 3.8% | 319,109 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 52,958 | 17.3% | $74,069 | 1.01 |
| Retail trade | 37,132 | 12.2% | $41,068 | 1.01 |
| Accommodation and food services | 30,093 | 9.8% | $27,247 | 0.90 |
| Manufacturing | 24,420 | 8.0% | $87,685 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 23,087 | 7.6% | $42,156 | 1.07 |
| Professional and technical services | 20,418 | 6.7% | $106,932 | 0.80 |
| Finance and insurance | 20,023 | 6.6% | $122,416 | 1.34 |
| Construction | 19,368 | 6.3% | $85,941 | 1.01 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 17,645 | 5.8% | $57,630 | 1.14 |
| Wholesale trade | 16,179 | 5.3% | $93,827 | 1.12 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10,508 | 3.4% | $58,527 | 0.95 |
| Information | 5,980 | 2.0% | $84,598 | 0.87 |
| Management of companies | 5,746 | 1.9% | $137,914 | 0.93 |
| Real estate and rental | 5,720 | 1.9% | $74,244 | 1.00 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 5,420 | 1.8% | $29,409 | 0.88 |
| Utilities | 4,960 | 1.6% | $142,974 | 3.55 |
| Educational services | 4,635 | 1.5% | $49,632 | 0.61 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 1,219 | 0.4% | $134,725 | 0.88 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 84 | 0.0% | $65,348 | 0.03 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 86.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 5.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,569 |
| Income per person | $32,546 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,203 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.7% |
| Median home value | $164,000 |
| Homeowners | 69.0% |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,770 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 27.5% |
| Born abroad | 1.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.6 | 42 | 116 |
| Feb | 7.8 | 46 | 137 |
| Mar | 12.3 | 54 | 129 |
| Apr | 16.7 | 62 | 122 |
| May | 21.2 | 70 | 114 |
| Jun | 25.5 | 78 | 110 |
| Jul | 27.2 | 81 | 121 |
| Aug | 27.1 | 81 | 106 |
| Sep | 23.9 | 75 | 92 |
| Oct | 17.9 | 64 | 80 |
| Nov | 11.4 | 53 | 102 |
| Dec | 7.3 | 45 | 139 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fultondale | AL | 6 mi | 9,384 | $73,575 | $1,269 |
| Birmingham | AL | 7 mi | 198,173 | $46,051 | $1,107 |
| Fairfield | AL | 7 mi | 9,728 | $48,456 | $1,008 |
| Pleasant Grove | AL | 7 mi | 9,442 | $70,317 | $1,400 |
| Gardendale | AL | 9 mi | 16,534 | $82,192 | $1,299 |
| Homewood | AL | 10 mi | 27,829 | $94,485 | $1,463 |
| Mountain Brook | AL | 11 mi | 22,029 | $201,479 | $1,456 |
| Vestavia Hills | AL | 12 mi | 38,616 | $134,369 | $1,515 |
| Hueytown | AL | 13 mi | 16,414 | $62,784 | $1,304 |
| Center Point | AL | 13 mi | 15,914 | $56,417 | $1,218 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
9,742 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,203 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.7% of the median household income.
$66,569 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.8% (BLS county, Jefferson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.