NAICS 51

Information in Birmingham, AL

Metro Market Score 50.3 (Challenging), ranked #192 of 294 metros. 976 establishments, 7,382 jobs.

Metro Market Score 50.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Birmingham pairs above-average information concentration (82.7) with positive employment growth (trend: 63.3). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

82.7

LQ: 0.76

Rank #243 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

60.5

$84,228 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 63.3

Employment growth index

Rank #109 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

17.4

YoY wage change index

976 Information Firms in Birmingham

976

Establishments

+6.7% YoY

7,382

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$84,228

Average Annual Wage

+0.0% YoY

0.76

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Alabama

#7 of 8

information metros in state

Alabama state rank

#5 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+14.9

worse than median (35.4)

Birmingham vs Alabama Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Alabama overall. The state ranks #5/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Birmingham	AL Statewide
Overall Score	50.3 Challenging	32.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#192 of 294 metros	#5 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Birmingham

Accommodation and Food Services 43.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 51.5 Retail Trade 51.8 Construction 52.6 Other Services 66.8 Finance and Insurance 67.1

Information in Other Alabama Metros

Anniston-Oxford 15.4 #8/294 Florence-Muscle Shoals 29.8 #58/294 Decatur 31.4 #68/294 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley 35.0 #83/294 Gadsden 35.4 #86/294 Huntsville 39.3 #110/294 Mobile 52.9 #204/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Birmingham's 50.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Coeur d'Alene, ID 50.4 #193/294 Lawrence, KS 50.1 #191/294 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 50.6 #194/294 Port St. Lucie, FL 50.0 #190/294 Chico, CA 49.8 #189/294 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 51.0 #195/294 Sioux City, IA 51.0 #196/294 Fort Wayne, IN 49.6 #188/294 Bozeman, MT 49.5 #187/294 Chattanooga, TN 51.3 #197/294

Information in States Bordering Alabama

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Mississippi 43.1 #23/51 Florida 46.5 #30/51 Tennessee 48.1 #37/51 Georgia 48.9 #39/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Birmingham's information sector, the industry concentration component (82.7) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Birmingham, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment