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Living in
Pell City.
About
Life in Pell City
Pell City is a community of 13,353 people in Alabama. The median household income is $68,638, median rent runs about $1,103 per month, and median home values are around $249,600. Unemployment is low at 2.3%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Pell City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.8%
Foreign-Born
1.7%
Broadband Internet
94.4%
of households
Population Growth
+10.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pell City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pell City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (63.0%), and 1.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
17.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.2%
of households
Married Couples
45.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.57
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 9% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Pell City
In Pell City, rent runs 9% above the AL average, and home values are 19% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
10.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$846
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $289,193 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Pell City and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in St. Clair County, which includes Pell City, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
Pell City: St. Clair County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
St. Clair County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Pell City 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
Commute26.7 min avg
How Pell City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pell City, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 107 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 51% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pell City runs 51% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
159.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,806.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pell City Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
72.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Clair County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Clair County, which includes Pell City, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,500 |
| 2023 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,500 |
| 2022 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 6 | Drought | None reported |
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
St. Clair County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Shelby County, AL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Pell City) is typically good — 222 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
222
per year
Moderate Days
21
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Shelby County, AL (30 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pell City has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
57.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.9"
Hot Days/Year
65
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
60
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 33°F | 4.89" |
| Feb | 59°F | 36°F | 5.13" |
| Mar | 66°F | 43°F | 5.71" |
| Apr | 75°F | 49°F | 4.41" |
| May | 81°F | 58°F | 3.34" |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.09" |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 4.53" |
| Aug | 90°F | 69°F | 3.64" |
| Sep | 85°F | 63°F | 3.53" |
| Oct | 76°F | 50°F | 3.06" |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 4.86" |
| Dec | 57°F | 35°F | 5.04" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pell City
Pell City has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
St Vincent's St Clair
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Citizens Baptist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.1 mi away · Talladega
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.
Education17.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pell City
Pell City's student/teacher ratio is 17.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 21.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Pell City (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 701 students · in-state tuition $15,650 · 36% graduate · median earnings $38,238 (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: Freedom Riders National Monument, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pell City
Pell City has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Freedom Riders National Monument (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Freedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
21 mi awayBirmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
51 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
70 mi awayTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
National Historic Site
84 mi awayTuskegee Institute National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
93 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pell City
Pell City Public Library
1000 Bruce Etheredge Pkwy Ste 100, Pell City
Cities Near Pell City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pell City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pell City FAQ
Is Pell City, Alabama affordable?⌄
Pell City's median rent is $1,099/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $68,638/year. Median home value is $249,600.
Is Pell City, Alabama safe?⌄
Pell City's violent crime rate was 160 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 1807 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pell City, Alabama?⌄
St. Clair County, which includes Pell City, has an unemployment rate of 2.3%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pell City, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Pell City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,099/month and median household income is $68,638/year. The median home value is $249,600. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pell City, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Pell City is 27 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