According to data from the United States Census Bureau

the state's total population is 4.4 million, with an annual growth rate of 0.4%. 24.9% of Alabama residents are under the age of 18, and 13.1% have turned 65. The infant mortality rate is 1.05%, well above the rate in the United States, making it the second worst state in this regard. The urban population of this state is 67.7% (1996), below the national level (79.9%). The urbanization process in Alabama accelerated starting in the 1960s, when the population began to emigrate from rural areas (especially from the Black Belt ) to the northern states and industrial centers. The population tended to be concentrated in 10 of the state's 67 counties, given the progressive growth of the cities and suburbs of Birmingham, Mobile, Gadsden , Florence , Montgomery and Huntsville . With a workforce of 2.17 million people, its unemployment rate is low as Alabama has an unemployment rate of 4.8% (1999). The average annual income per capita is $19,026 (1998), and per family unit is $ 36,266 , about $2,500 below the national average. The rate of population living below the poverty rate is 14.5%, which makes it the thirteenth least favored state in this regard, although the situation is improving since in 1990 it was already in fifth place. Alabama has an extensive network of land and river communications, with more than 7,000 km of highways. Likewise, it has 124 public airports, five of them open to commercial flights. Alabama's only seaport is Mobile , with the capacity to accommodate 35 ships at the same time. According to data from the United States Census Bureau , the state's total population is 4.4 million, with an annual growth rate of 0.4%. 24.9% of Alabama residents are under the age of 18, and 13.1% have turned 65.