Birmingham anchors Jefferson County in north-central Alabama, with its metro area extending from Hoover and Vestavia Hills south through Homewood and Mountain Brook to Trussville and Garfield in the northeast. The city's economy centers on the UAB Medical Center, one of the largest employers in the state, alongside regional banking operations and a growing biotech sector. Major corridors like Highway 280, I-459, and Red Mountain Expressway connect downtown to suburbs that stretch from Bessemer in the west to Leeds and Moody along I-20, serving both long-established neighborhoods near Five Points South and newer developments in places like Inverness and Greystone.