© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Pelham.
About
Life in Pelham
Pelham is a suburb in Shelby County, south of Birmingham, and the gateway to Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama's largest state park. It's a family town with comfortable incomes: the median household income is $101,094, about 25% above the national median, and about 84% of households own their home. The median home value is $299,800, about 10% below the national figure, and rent averages $1,577.
Pelham at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Foreign-Born
7.0%
Broadband Internet
96.6%
of households
Population Growth
+6.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pelham: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pelham, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (31.3%), and 10.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.2%
of residents
65 and Older
18.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.5%
of households
Married Couples
56.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.61
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 57% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Pelham
In Pelham, rent runs 57% above the AL average, and home values are 43% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,454
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2001
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $325,023 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Pelham and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Pelham is 0.8 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Pelham Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Birmingham-Hoover, AL metro area
Commute28.6 min avg
How Pelham residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pelham, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 48% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 140 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 53% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pelham runs 53% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
155.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
821.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pelham Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Shelby County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Shelby County, which includes Pelham, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Hail | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Drought | None reported |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Shelby County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Shelby County, which includes Pelham, is typically good.
Median AQI
36
Shelby County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pelham has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.7"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
87
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
51
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 35°F | 5.10" |
| Feb | 60°F | 38°F | 5.58" |
| Mar | 68°F | 45°F | 5.34" |
| Apr | 76°F | 51°F | 5.18" |
| May | 83°F | 60°F | 4.15" |
| Jun | 90°F | 68°F | 4.23" |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 4.76" |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 4.42" |
| Sep | 87°F | 64°F | 3.93" |
| Oct | 76°F | 52°F | 3.62" |
| Nov | 65°F | 42°F | 4.66" |
| Dec | 57°F | 37°F | 4.65" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pelham
Uninsured
7.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Pelham's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.3 mi away · Alabaster
Grandview Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.7 mi away · Birmingham
Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.6 mi away · Birmingham
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pelham
Pelham's student/teacher ratio is 15.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 47.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Pelham (within 15 miles)
University of Alabama at Birmingham
13.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,635 students · in-state tuition $9,812 · 58% graduate · median earnings $59,631 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,206 students · in-state tuition $41,910 · 78% graduate · median earnings $66,982 (10 yrs after entry)
Lawson State Community College
12.3 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 2,900 students · in-state tuition $5,215 · 26% graduate · median earnings $36,457 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 1,196 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 13% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 442 students · in-state tuition $13,820 · 42% graduate · median earnings $44,255 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, 14 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pelham
Pelham has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (14 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
14 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
54 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
64 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
72 mi awayTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
National Historic Site
86 mi awayTuskegee Institute National Historic Site
National Historic Site
86 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pelham
Pelham Public Library
2000 Pelham Park Blvd, Pelham
Cities Near Pelham
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pelham?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pelham FAQ
Is Pelham, Alabama affordable?⌄
Pelham's median rent is $1,577/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $101,094/year. Median home value is $299,800.
Is Pelham, Alabama safe?⌄
Pelham's violent crime rate was 156 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 821 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pelham, Alabama?⌄
Pelham has an unemployment rate of 2.1%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pelham, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Pelham is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,577/month and median household income is $101,094/year. The median home value is $299,800. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pelham, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Pelham is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from