Walker County
News
Encompassing Metropolitan Birmingham's northwestern territory, Walker County has a population of just over 70,000. A major interstate highway (I-22) connecting Birmingham to the Midwest transverses Walker County and is currently completed to just six miles west of where it will intersect Interstate 65 with the largest interchange in Alabama. The entire completion of the project is expected by 2011. The new interstate will make Walker County an integral component of Alabama's interstate transportation hub and a gateway to northwestern Alabama.
Walker County's seat of government, Jasper, has a population of 14,117 and is the largest commercial center between Birmingham and Tupelo, Mississippi. The county recently landed a new Honda automotive supplier and is poised to capture a supplier base from the new Toyota facility in northwestern Mississippi. The county has two branches of Bevill State Community College with a combined enrollment of almost 2,500 students. The desirable recreation area encompassing Lewis Smith Lake has frontage in Walker County's northeastern region.
Overview
2007 Population |
70,099 | |
2007 Households |
28,365 | |
2007 Age Composition |
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| Age 0 to 4 | 6% | |
| Age 5 to 9 | 6% | |
| Age 10 to 14 | 6% | |
| Age 15 to 17 | 4% | |
| Age 18 to 20 | 4% | |
| Age 21 to 24 | 5% | |
| Age 25 to 34 | 13% | |
| Age 35 to 44 | 14% | |
| Age 45 to 49 | 7% | |
| Age 50 to 54 | 7% | |
| Age 55 to 59 | 7% | |
| Age 60 to 64 | 6% | |
| Age 65 to 74 | 9% | |
| Age 75 to 84 | 5% | |
| Age 85 and over | 2% | |
2007 Household Income |
||
| 2007 Average | $46,789 | |
| 2000 Average | $38,487 | |
| 00 to 07 Percent Change | 22% | |
| 2007 Median | $35,210 | |
| 2000 Median | $28,989 | |
| 00 to 07 Percent Change | 21% | |
2007 Workforce |
Numeric | Percentage |
| 2007 Estimated population Age 25 and Over |
48,776 | 100% |
| Less than 9th grade | 5,657 | 12% |
| Some High School, no diploma | 10,209 | 21% |
| High School Graduate (or GED) | 16,949 | 35% |
| Some College, no degree | 8,667 | 18% |
| Associate Degree | 2,765 | 6% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 2,647 | 5% |
| Master's Degree | 1,439 | 3% |
| Professional School Degree | 338 | 1% |
| Doctorate Degree | 105 | 0% |
2007 Employment |
Numeric | Percentage |
| Retail Trade | 6,213 | 28% |
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate | 1,120 | 5% |
| Services | 7,766 | 35% |
| Hotels & other lodging | 105 | 0% |
| Personal services | 918 | 4% |
| Business services | 417 | 2% |
| Motion pictures & Amusement | 327 | 1% |
| Health services | 1,979 | 9% |
| Legal services | 222 | 1% |
| Educational services | 2,158 | 10% |
| Social services | 674 | 3% |
| Other Services | 966 | 4% |
| Agriculture & Natural Resources | 184 | 1% |
| Resource Extraction | 476 | 2% |
| Construction | 792 | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 2,143 | 10% |
| Transport/Communication, Utilities | 1,096 | 5% |
| Wholesale Trade | 700 | 3% |
| Government | 1,817 | 8% |
| Total Employment | 22,307 | 100% |
Largest Employers |
Employees | |
| 1. Wal-Mart (all locations) | 815 | |
| 2. Walker Baptist Medical Center | 630 | |
| 3. Bevill State College | 600 | |
| 4. Marshall Durbin | 500 | |
| 5. Alabama Power | 285 | |
| 6. First National Bank | 180 | |
| 7. Jasper Lumber | 125 | |
| 8. B & D Industrial Service | 100 | |
| 9. Alabama Molding & Cabinet | 70 | |
| 10. Warrior River Steel | 60 |
| Source: Michael Shattuck (MDB) using EDPA Claritas statistics |