Pelham, AL

Census place 0158848 · pop 24,827

C68/ 100
👍 Solid
A
in AL
📍 Alabama ranks #23 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.2% · top 1%
🚽 Commute29 min · bottom 22%
Taxes
0.48% property · US 0.99%9.46% sales · US 7.00%up to 5.00% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Commute time29 min22

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

29 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$299,80046

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$299,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,750/mo50

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,750/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level87/10052

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate173/100k55

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

173 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Uninsured adults8.3%63

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

8.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult obesity32.3%65

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

32.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Air quality (AQI)County-level40 AQI68

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+6.0%68

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+6.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Physical inactivity20.9%73

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

20.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property crime rate736/100k74

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

736 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Adult smoking10.6%75

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

10.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$101,09476

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$101,094 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate6.7%76

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

6.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Bachelor's degree or higher47.2%79

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

47.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poor mental health14.7%81

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.3888

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.38 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Broadband access96.6%90

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

96.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Homeownership83.9%91

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

83.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden0.48%92

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.48% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.2%99

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Frequently asked

Is Pelham, AL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Pelham scores 68/100 — a C (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is commute time. Alabama overall ranks #23 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Pelham, AL?
Pelham reports 173 violent crimes per 100k and 736 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Pelham, AL expensive to live in?
Pelham has a median home value of $299,800 and typical rent around $1,750/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Pelham, AL?
Its weakest measured area is commute time (29 min) — 22/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Pelham, AL best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.2%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.