| | Bessemer, AL | Gadsden, AL | United States |
| Population | 26,171 | 34,317 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 52.1% | 51.7% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 47.9% | 48.3% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 42 | 40.5 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 27,401 | 36,908 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 29,672 | 38,978 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 33,497 | 42,523 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | -12.2% | -10.7% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | -22.3% | -18.1% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 645.6 | 919.7 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 40.5 | 37.3 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.2 | 1.2 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Bessemer, AL | Gadsden, AL | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 5.5% | 6.1% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 5.9% | 5.3% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 2.9% | 3.8% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 5.4% | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 11.5% | 10.6% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 10.8% | 13.3% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 12.3% | 12.1% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 8.1% | 6.1% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 7.1% | 7.3% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 10.7% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 5.5% | 5.3% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Bessemer, AL | Gadsden, AL | United States |
| White | 19.4% | 52.4% | 59.4% |
| Black | 72.5% | 36.5% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 1.0% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 2.1% | 2.5% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 5.7% | 7.4% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Bessemer, AL | Gadsden, AL | United States |
| Married Population | 31.6% | 35.4% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 28.3% | 32.4% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 3.2% | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 68.4% | 64.6% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 43.1% | 37.6% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 15.9% | 17.3% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 9.5% | 9.6% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.42 | 2.52 | 2.60 |
| Households | 10,521 | 13,261 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 5,688 | 7,250 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 11.6% | 20.3% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 35.0% | 35.3% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 4,833 | 6,011 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 27.4% | 27.8% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 26.0% | 16.6% | 10.8% |