Mountain Brook, Alabama

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Mountain Brook
City
The "Old Mill" on Shades Creek
The "Old Mill" on Shades Creek
Official seal of Mountain Brook
Seal
Motto: "Find Peace. Find Mountain Brook."
Location of Mountain Brook
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Country United States
State Alabama
County Jefferson
Incorporated March 24, 1942
Government
 • Type Council-manager
 • Mayor Terry Oden (R)
Area
 • City 12.2 sq mi (31.7 km2)
 • Land 12.2 sq mi (31.7 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 768 ft (140 m)
Population (2013)[1]
 • City 20,359
 • Density 1,701/sq mi (656.8/km2)
 • Metro 1,140,300
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes 35213, 35223
Area code(s) 205
FIPS code 01-51696
GNIS feature ID 0123503
Website http://www.mtnbrook.org/

Mountain Brook is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, and a suburb of Birmingham. According to the 2010 census, the population is 20,413. It is known to be the state's most affluent place.[2] In a list compiled in 2008 by Stephen Higley, Ph.D., it's the ninth wealthiest community in the United States.[3]

Notable residents include actors Courteney Cox, Kate Jackson, and Wayne Rogers, and former Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr.

History

The city was originally developed in 1929 by real estate businessman Robert Jemison, Jr., as an extensive residential subdivision along the ridges known as Red Mountain and Shades Mountain.[4] It was incorporated on May 24, 1942.[5] The plans, by Boston-based landscape architect Warren H. Manning, called for estate-sized lots along winding scenic roads and denser commercial development centering on three picturesque "villages" known as English Village, Mountain Brook Village and Crestline Village. The densely forested residential sections (such as Cherokee Bend, Brookwood Forest, Overton, and Crestline) featured homes in real nature preserves that have protected the area from urban encroachment, and bridle paths created a recreational network within the area.[5]

It's the home of the nation's first office park, built in 1955.[6] It featured the then novel concepts of ample free parking and low-profile office buildings surrounded by waterspouts and landscaped grounds.

A new city hall, which included a fire and police station, was completed in 2013.

Most of Mountain Brook's development preserved the existing trees: 92.03% is under tree cover, one of the highest ratios in the nation.[7]

Geography

The city is located at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (33.486972, -86.740465).[8]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it has a total area of 12.2 square miles (32 km2), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1950 8,359
1960 12,680 51.7%
1970 19,474 53.6%
1980 19,718 1.3%
1990 19,810 0.5%
2000 20,604 4.0%
2010 20,413 −0.9%
Est. 2014 20,734 [9] 1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
2013 Estimate[11]

As of the census of 2000, there were 20,604 people, 7,954 households, and 5,974 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,684 people per square mile (649.9/km²). There were 8,268 housing units at an average density of 675.8 per square mile (260.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.64% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.22% from two or more races. 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In the 2005-2009 American Community Survey, of a population of 20,989, there were 20,729 whites, 7 blacks, 17 Cherokees, 61 Indian-Americans, 143 Chinese-Americans, and 32 people who identified as some other race. There were 7,998 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.0% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.05. The population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males. The median income for a household was $100,483, and the median income for a family was $156,647 (these figures had risen to $126,586 and $157,159 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $39,770 for females. The per capita income for the city was $59,085. None of the population was below the poverty line.

It is often referred to as "The Tiny Kingdom" due to its high concentration of the region's business and professional leaders,[12] and the disparity of wealth between it and Birmingham where nearly a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, according to census data.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 20,413 people, 7,731 households, and 5,864 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,673.2 people per square mile (643.9/km²). There were 8,266 housing units at an average density of 675.8 per square mile (260.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.2% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,731 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.12.

The population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household was $130,721, and the median income for a family was $164,750. Males had a median income of $124,224 versus $54,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $76,763. 1.8% of families and 3.7% of individuals were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of individuals under 18 and 2.5% of those 65 and over.

Government

File:MtnBrookCityHall.jpg
Mountain Brook's Old City Hall

Mountain Brook has a city council/mayor/city manager system of government.

The city council, consisting of 5 members elected at large, considers most issues and appoints the police chief and fire chief.

The mayor is Terry Oden, first elected in 1996.

The city manager is Sam Gaston, appointed by the council and mayor in January 2008.

The Tree Commission and the Planning Commission consider specific issues and usually refer them to the council.

Education

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The Mountain Brook School System is consistently rated one of the best in the state.[13] It includes the following six schools and all except Mountain Brook Elementary have been awarded the Blue Ribbon:

Brookwood Forest Elementary

Cherokee Bend Elementary

Crestline Elementary

Mountain Brook Elementary

Mountain Brook Junior High

Mountain Brook High School

There are also two private elementary schools in Mountain Brook: Highlands School, on Old Leeds Road in Cherokee Bend,[14] and N. E. Miles Jewish Day School on Montclair Road where the esteemed Rabbi Yossi Friedman as well as Rebbetzin Frumi Posner teach the young Jewish students.[15]

References

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  7. http://www.aces.edu/ucf/documents/MtnBrookArborist.pdf
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External links

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