City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Pelham, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Pelham - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

24,510
Residents
$91,904
Median income
$278,900
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Pelham - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Pelham lands in the 72nd percentile for household income and the 68th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

72nd
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
68th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Pelham, AL

Alabama's Pelham is a small city, with 24,510 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $91,904 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Home values in Pelham run a median of $278,900, and the median resident age is 41.2 years. About 48.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 68.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 113 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 10% from five years earlier. Pelham reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 893.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alabama scores 88.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,266 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $245 across Alabama, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

24,510 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$91,904 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Pelham compare to other US cities?

Pelham measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities
Safety 68% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alabama alone, Pelham ranks #44 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Pelham against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Pelham's strongest outlier among Alabama cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Pelham ranks #22 - the 96th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Pelham only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#48 of 530
91st percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#39 of 556
76th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#38 of 517
93rd percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#450 of 556
19th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#22 of 556
96th percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

72ndIncome percentile
68thSafety percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income · 68th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Pelham's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Pelham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 63 Avg. percentile National median
Pelham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Pelham's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$278,900 39th percentile more affordable than 39% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Pelham $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Pelham, AL Pelham, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Pelham, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Pelham, AL median $91,904/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Pelham, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Pelham, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 48.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
24,510
Median Income
$91,904
Median Home Value
$278,900
Median Age
41.2
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
68.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
893.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
165.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
727.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
24,000 residents24,500 residents25,000 residents25,500 residents26,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 24,242 residents 25,664 residents ▲ +5.9%
Pelham's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
113
housing units authorized
Single-Family
113
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 103
2020 125
2021 130
2022 138
2023 108
2024 113

Permit volume increased 10% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.8%
Carpool
5.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
17.8%

Based on 13,360 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Pelham sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Bessemer
25,655 people
Fairhope
23,360 people
Trussville
26,182 people
Albertville
22,584 people
Foley
22,330 people
Mountain Brook
22,160 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Pelham's 24,510 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Belvidere, IL
24,510 people
Melrose Park, IL
24,513 people
Homer Glen, IL
24,516 people
Herndon, VA
24,529 people
Kerrville, TX
24,532 people
World Golf, FL
24,485 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Pelham's $91,904 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Andrews AFB, MD
$91,905 median income
Parkside, PA
$91,902 median income
Chatfield, MN
$91,912 median income
Cazenovia, NY
$91,923 median income
Naknek, AK
$91,875 median income
Tallulah Falls, GA
$91,875 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Pelham, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Pelham, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.9% 13.3% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.2% White 70.9% Black or African American 13.3% Asian 2.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.5% Two or more races 9.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Pelham compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Pelham (this city) 24,510 $91,904
Bessemer 25,655 $37,844
Fairhope 23,360 $86,509
Trussville 26,182 $120,794
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Pelham, AL?

What is the population of Pelham, AL? +

Pelham, AL counts 24,510 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Pelham, AL? +

In Pelham, the typical household earns $91,904 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Pelham? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Pelham; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Pelham, AL safe? +

Pelham has a total crime rate of 893.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Pelham, AL? +

The median home value in Pelham is $278,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.