Pelham High School, 2015
Pelham’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 931 in 1970, 24,318 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2015 and 5 maps from 1905 on.
- 1873Pelham is settled
PelhamAL
A town of 25,664, settled in 1873. More miles of trail than almost any town in Alabama.
Trash day: look up yoursPopulation
25,664
2025 Census estimate · +6.2% since 2020
Typical home
$325K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$101K
median
Median age
40.0
years
Jobs based here
16,081
A job hub
TownGrade
A−
#28 of 187 in AL
Is Pelham a good place to live?
Pelham is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, ranked 28th of 187 in Alabama, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $101K. It also does better than most on health: residents are healthier than 83% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. A typical home there costs about $325K, 4.5 years of the Birmingham metro’s $71K median household income. 37% of the land in Pelham is conserved, where Alabama’s towns sit at 1.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Oak Mountain State Park, at 8,623 acres with 86.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. On the outdoors, just 2 of Alabama’s 308 towns do better.
What makes Pelham stand out
Where Pelham beats most towns.
Get outside
97 miles of trails in Pelham
36.7% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
3
Carroll Park3 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Pelham grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Pelham is from typical.
Jobs & income16,081 jobs based hereAOpen →HealthShelby Baptist Medical Center 7.3 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 1.5% of households have no car; 0.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SafetyBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life6.6 library visits per resident; 4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market50 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 40.0; 47% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 30 attractions →Legion Field and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pelham. Close and well known come first.
14 mi Stadium & arenaLegion Field
14 mi Stadium & arenaProtective Stadium
14 mi MuseumSloss Furnaces
14 mi Stadium & arenaLegacy Arena16 mi Theme parkAlabama Adventure & Splash Adventure
14 mi Stadium & arenaBirmingham–Jefferson Convention ComplexSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Legion Field: USGS, Public domain · Protective Stadium: Unknown, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sloss Furnaces: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Legacy Arena: AuburnShuffle, CC0 · Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex: Chris Pruitt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Pelham: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pelham, and how to reach them.
PowerAlabama Power17.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Pelham water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereShelby County Circuit ClerkShelby County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2024
ZIP codes35124, 3504335124 93% · 35043 6%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Pelham.
Pelham fares better on crime within Alabama than nationally, draws workers from Hoover and beyond and keeps more of its land conserved than most of Alabama.
OutdoorsA
Trail density in Pelham is higher than in the typical Alabama or U.S. town
Its 9,185 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in any other Alabama town. Its A for the outdoors ranks #2 of 187 in Alabama.
Pelham’s trail density is 2.5 miles per square mile, against 0.1 in Alabama’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. 97 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. More trails than any other town in Alabama.
#1for trails in AL
36.7%
conserved · 9,185 of 25,043 acres
97 mi
of trails · 2.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Oak Mountain State Park | 86.5 mi | 8,623 |
| 2. Pelham City Park | 2.3 mi | 68 |
| 3. Carroll Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB+
Public schools in Pelham beat 71% of Alabama districts
Its public schools are run by the Pelham City school district. Three of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
71%of AL districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham Park Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 835 | B+ |
| Pelham High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,076 | B |
| Pelham RidgeTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 783 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most working residents commute out of Pelham
16,081 jobs are based in Pelham, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 18.7% of workers work from home, against 8.8% across Alabama.
Most working residents leave Pelham for work: only 9% work in town. 19% of workers work from home in Pelham. The top destinations are Birmingham (24%), Hoover (15%) and Homewood (6%).
9%work in town
| Pelham | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 19% | 6.7% | 11% |
| Median household income | $101,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Pelham9%
Birmingham24%
Hoover15%
Homewood6%
Alabaster5%
12 mi
median commute distance
16,081
jobs based in Pelham
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 31% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA−
For health, Pelham earns an A−
Its widest gap with Alabama is tooth loss: 8.5% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 15.4% statewide.
30% of Pelham adults feel lonely. Pelham beats the Alabama average on 22 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 11% of Pelham adults report frequent physical distress.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Pelham | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 36% | 33% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Alabama
22 better10 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Pelham | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.5% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12% | 19.2% |
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
7.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
92nd
percentile among AL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B−
For cost of living, Pelham earns a B−
The median property tax bill is $1,454, against $788 across Alabama, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Pelham is $1,577 a month. The typical Pelham home is worth about $325,000, up 2.2% in a year, 36% above the Alabama typical home.
$325KZillow home value
| Pelham | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,577 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 84% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Pelham$325K
Alabama$239K
Market temperature
50
days on market
101.4%
sale-to-list price
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
40
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Pelham faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
545 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 99 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 71% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 545 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pelham.
71risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
545
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Pelham has mild winters and hot summers
Pelham has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Pelham’s July high is 90°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–57°
Spring50–75°
Summer68–89°
Fall52–75°
Nov 8
typical first frost
Mar 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
Less crime per resident in Pelham than in 58% of U.S. towns
At 15.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 86% of Alabama’s graded towns.
58%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Pelham1.6
Alabama3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Pelham8.2
Alabama15
U.S.15.5
58th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
86th
percentile among AL towns
40
violent crimes reported in 2025
211
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pelham
20pages on Pelham
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 71% of AL districts · 8 schoolsSafetyB1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than AL on 22 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$325K typical home · up 2.2% in a yearWork & commuteA$101K median household income · 16,081 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 71% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Pelham
Samford UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Birmingham9.8 mi$40,150 tuitionLawson State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Birmingham12.3 mi$5,040 in-state tuitionUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity or college · Public · Birmingham12.7 mi$9,098 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Pelham residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Alabama.
A growing town
Pelham has grown 21% since 2010
21,352 counted in 2010 and 24,318 in 2020; an estimated 25,664 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 6.2% since 2020, after 13.9% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
About Pelham
City in Alabama, United States
Pelham is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. The population was 24,318 at the 2020 census. It incorporated on July 10, 1964, and is a suburb located in the Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama which was home to nearly 1.2 million residents as of the 2020 census. It was named for Confederate Civil War officer John Pelham.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 39 sq mi
- Elevation
- 502 ft
- ZIP code
- 35124
- Area code
- 205
Pelham’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Pelham.
All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its A−; Alabaster (A−) is closest. Hoover next door grades higher for schools (A+ to Pelham’s B+) and lower for cost of living (C− to B−).
AlabasterChelseaHelenaHooverEagle PointIndian Springs VillagePelham
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham | #28 | A− | B− | B | B+ | A− |
| Alabaster | #22 | A− | B− | B− | A | A− |
| Chelsea | #12 | A | B− | — | A− | A |
| Helena | #15 | A− | C+ | A | B− | A |
| Hoover | #19 | A− | C− | B | A+ | A |
| Eagle Point | #1 | A+ | B | — | A− | A |
| Indian Springs Village | #7 | A | C | — | A− | A |
Chelsea, Eagle Point and Indian Springs Village report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Pelham with a neighbor →
Questions about Pelham
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pelham, AL a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Pelham grades A− overall, better than 76% of U.S. towns and #28 of 187 in Alabama. It grades A− for health, B for safety and B+ for schools, and has the most trail per square mile in the state.
Is Pelham, AL expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Pelham, AL known for?
Its 97 miles of trails, 2.5 per square mile, are the densest network of any Alabama town.