City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Pell City, AL

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

13,353
Residents
$73,043
Median income
$238,100
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Pell City - the verdict

Pell City ranks in the 54th percentile for household income and the 22nd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
53rd
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
22nd
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: Pell City, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 13,353 residents in Pell City, a small town within Alabama. The typical household in Pell City brings in $73,043 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.1%. Typical homes in Pell City are valued around $238,100, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. Educational attainment runs 20.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 134 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 33% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2498.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,266 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $245 across Alabama, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 72.1 out of 100 (High).

Population

13,353 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$73,043 /yr

Poverty 11.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Pell City compare to other US cities?

Where Pell City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 53% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities
Safety 22% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Alabama, Pell City ranks #144 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Pell City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

54thIncome percentile
22ndSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 22nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Pell City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Pell City'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 43 Avg. percentile National median
Pell City'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 Pell City's home value compares nationally

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

$238,100 47th percentile more affordable than 47% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Pell City $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 - Pell City, AL Pell City, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Pell City, 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 Pell City, AL median $73,043/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%
Pell City, 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 Pell City, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.7%

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

Population
13,353
Median Income
$73,043
Median Home Value
$238,100
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Labor force participation
57.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2498.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
294.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2203.5
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,500 residents13,000 residents13,500 residents14,000 residents14,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,973 residents 14,320 residents ▲ +10.4%
Pell City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
134
housing units authorized
Single-Family
134
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
10
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 101
2020 146
2021 194
2022 144
2023 95
2024 134

Permit volume increased 33% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.6%
Carpool
4.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
7.4%

Based on 5,977 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 Pell City 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
72.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Moody
13,378 people
Irondale
13,462 people
McCalla
13,939 people
Eufaula
12,664 people
Sylacauga
12,388 people
Jacksonville
14,345 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Pell City's 13,353 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Atlantic Beach, FL
13,353 people
Western Springs, IL
13,353 people
Lake Forest Park, WA
13,356 people
Henderson, TX
13,348 people
Conway, FL
13,346 people
Washington, PA
13,361 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Pell City's $73,043 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Laughlin AFB, TX
$73,045 median income
Emerson, AR
$73,036 median income
Lowrey, OK
$73,036 median income
Belfast, PA
$73,036 median income
Blandburg, PA
$73,036 median income
Caroline, WI
$73,036 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Pell City, 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 Pell City, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.7% 15.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.4% White 78.7% Black or African American 15.5% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 3.6% 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 Pell City 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
Pell City (this city) 13,353 $73,043
Moody 13,378 $86,389
Irondale 13,462 $71,240
McCalla 13,939 $83,782
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Pell City, AL?

What is the population of Pell City, AL? +

Pell City, AL has a population of 13,353 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Pell City, AL? +

Median annual household income in Pell City runs $73,043, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Pell City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Pell City; 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 Pell City, AL safe? +

Pell City has a total crime rate of 2498.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Pell City, AL? +

Pell City's median home value sits at $238,100, 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 Editorial

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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.