Hoover, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hoover, Alabama
City
Riverchase Galleria
Flag Seal Logo
Location of Hoover in Jefferson County and Shelby County, Alabama
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Counties	Jefferson, Shelby
Settled	1853
Founded	1954
Incorporated	April 28, 1967
Incorporated	May 18, 1967
Named for	William H. Hoover
Area
• City	50.326 sq mi (130.344 km2)
• Land	49.354 sq mi (127.827 km2)
• Water	0.972 sq mi (2.518 km2)
Elevation	495 ft (151 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	92,606
• Estimate  (2022)	92,435
• Rank	US: 367th AL: 6th
• Density	1,874/sq mi (723.5/km2)
• Urban	774,956 (US: 58th)
• Urban density	1,522/sq mi (587.5/km2)
• Metro	1,181,196 (US: 47th)
• Metro density	248.8/sq mi (96.07/km2)
• Combined	1,362,731 (US: 43rd)
• Combined density	200.3/sq mi (77.35/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	35022, 35080, 35124, 35142, 35216, 35222, 35226, 35236, 35242, 35244
Area code(s)	205 and 659
FIPS code	01-35896
GNIS feature ID	2404725

Hoover is a city located in central Alabama, United States. It's found in both Jefferson and Shelby counties. Hoover is the largest suburban city in Alabama and the 6th largest city overall in the state. In 2020, about 92,606 people lived there. Hoover is part of the larger Birmingham, AL area. The city is built along the lower parts of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Birmingham Barons baseball team used to play their home games at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. They played there from 1988 to 2013. After that, they moved to Regions Field in Birmingham.

History of Hoover

Hoover Public Library, 2007

The area where Hoover is now was once called the Green Valley community. This was back in the 1930s. For a long time, it was mostly a quiet place where people lived and commuted to work elsewhere.

The City of Hoover officially became a city in 1967. It was named after William H. Hoover, who owned a local insurance company.

In 1980, the city grew bigger by adding the Riverchase community. This brought more businesses, jobs, and people to Hoover. It also helped the city collect more taxes. When the I-459 highway opened, it connected with I-65 right in Hoover. This made it much easier to get to and from the city.

In 1986, the Riverchase Galleria opened. This is a huge complex with shops, a hotel, and offices. It has brought a lot more tax money to the city. It also attracted many new people and businesses to the area. Hoover has grown very quickly. The city has built new places like a Municipal Center, a Library, and a Public Safety Center. The population has increased a lot since 2008.

Hoover's Geography

Hoover is located at 33°23′11″N 86°48′18″W / 33.386435°N 86.804938°W / 33.386435; -86.804938.

The city covers about 50.3 square miles (130.3 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 49.3 square miles (127.8 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.97 square miles (2.5 square kilometers), is water.

Several major highways run through Hoover. These include I-65, I-459, and U.S. Route 31. If you drive north on I-65 or US-31, downtown Birmingham is about 11 miles (18 km) away. Going south, Montgomery is about 82 miles (132 km) away. Using I-459, Atlanta, GA is about 152 miles (245 km) to the east. Tuscaloosa is about 53 miles (85 km) to the west.

Hoover's Economy

The Riverchase Galleria is a large shopping, hotel, and office complex. It brings a lot of tax money to the city. Many people also work there in retail, hotels, and offices. Other office parks and buildings in Hoover are home to many big companies.

Major shopping centers in the city include:

• Riverchase Galleria on US 31
• Patton Creek on SR 150
• Village at Lee Branch on US 280

The main business area of Hoover is crossed by US 31, SR 150, and US 280. The major highways I-65 and I-459 also meet in the city.

Top Employers in Hoover

Here are some of the largest employers in Hoover, based on a 2022 report:

Hoover's Population

Population in 2020

In 2020, Hoover had 92,606 people living in the city. There were 36,799 households and 25,337 families.

Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Hoover in 2020:

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 81,619 people living in Hoover. About 33% of households had children under 18. More than half (56.1%) were married couples living together.

The average age in Hoover was 37 years old. About 25% of the population was under 18.

The typical income for a household in Hoover was about $72,960. For families, the typical income was about $94,066.

Transportation in Hoover

A sign designating the exit to Hoover on Interstate 459

Hoover is served by two main interstate highways: I-65 and I-459. They meet at a large interchange in the middle of the city.

Other important roads include:

• U.S. Route 31: Runs north-south through the city.
• U.S. Route 280: Located in the eastern part of the city.
• Route 150: An east-west road connecting the city center to the western side.
• Valleydale Road: Connects Route 31 and Route 280.

The city also has public transportation provided by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority.

Communities in Hoover

Hoover is made up of many different communities, including:

Parks in Hoover

Hoover has many parks and green spaces for people to enjoy:

Education in Hoover

Schools in Hoover

Hoover High School

Hoover has its own school system called Hoover City Schools. It includes:

• Ten elementary schools
• Three middle schools
• Two high schools: Spain Park High School and Hoover High School

Both high schools are known for their excellent academics. They are often ranked among the top schools in the country. In the 2022–2023 school year, Hoover High School had about 2,841 students. Spain Park High School had about 1,503 students. The entire Hoover City School system had a total of 13,557 students. Spain Park High School received the National Blue Ribbon Award in 2008. This award recognizes schools for their high academic performance.

Berry Middle School used to be the city's first high school. It closed in 2006, and students moved to a new Berry Middle School. The old Berry site later became the current Bumpus Middle School in 2011. Simmons Middle School and Bumpus Middle School are the other middle schools in the city.

Because the population grew, Riverchase Elementary was built to help with crowded schools. In 2011, Bumpus Middle School moved to the former freshman center of Hoover High School. The old Bumpus site became Brock's Gap Intermediate School. Brock's Gap now serves students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Bumpus Middle School now serves 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.

Colleges and Universities near Hoover

The Shelby-Hoover campus of Jefferson State Community College is located in Hoover. It is near Spain Park High School. Faulkner University also has a campus on Valleydale Road. The University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) is only about 8–10 miles away. UAB has a top-rated medical school in Alabama.

Other Educational Programs

The Birmingham Supplementary School Inc. (BSS), which is a part-time Japanese school, holds its classes at the Shelby-Hoover campus. This school helps Japanese children living in the area keep up with their Japanese language and culture studies.

Media in Hoover

Hoover has one television station, WBMA, known as ABC 33/40. Its studio is located within Hoover. The wider Birmingham area has many TV stations that serve the region.

While no radio stations operate directly from Hoover, residents can listen to many stations from the Birmingham area.

Two newspapers serve Hoover:

• Over the Mountain Journal: Published twice a month and delivered for free to certain neighborhoods.
• Hoover Sun: Published monthly and mailed for free to homes and businesses in Hoover.

Enjoy Hoover is a magazine published six times a year. It focuses on dining, entertainment, shopping, and healthy living in Hoover. You can find it for free at many locations around the city.

Notable People from Hoover

• Ben Chapman: A baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball.
• Hoda Muthana: Graduated from Hoover High School.
• George Pickens: A wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League.
• Chris Richards: An American professional soccer player. He plays as a defender for Crystal Palace F.C. and the United States national team.

Places to Visit in Hoover

• Aldridge Botanical Gardens: A beautiful garden to explore.
• Hoover Metropolitan Stadium (formerly Regions Park): Home of the SEC baseball tournament.
• Riverchase Galleria: A large shopping mall with many stores and restaurants.
• Moss Rock Preserve: A natural area great for hiking and enjoying nature.
• The Library Theatre: A place to watch plays and performances.

See also

In Spanish: Hoover (Alabama) para niños