What it's like to live in Pell City
Pell City is a small city in Alabama with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Pell City deals with college degree attainment below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Pell City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Pell City
Based on Pell City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,198
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,960 a year
- 40% of Pell City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,920
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,960
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 22% below US
$1,099/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,099 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $249,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $249,600 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in St. Clair County is 2.3%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
St. Clair County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 51% below US
160 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1807/100k · Pell City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Freedom Riders National Monument (21 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Pell City's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are college degree attainment below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,099/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Pell City
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