On CDC estimates, Pelham is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Pelham beats Alabama on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pelham. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pelham
COPD and stroke are less common in Pelham
Pelham runs below Alabama on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5.3% vs 8%), stroke (2.8% vs 4.1%) and heart disease (5.3% vs 7.3%). Conditions ↓
Pelham adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (30.4% vs 35.4%), frequent mental distress (14.7% vs 17.2%) and lack of emotional support (20.7% vs 24.8%) all run below Alabama. Mind & connection ↓
Pelham is an active town
Only 20.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 28.7% across Alabama. The town has 97 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alabama figure falls outside Pelham’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Pelham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelham is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #15 of 187 in Alabama. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 88% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 68%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Pelham’s median household income is $101,094; among the 8,429 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$126K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Pelham adults…
Pelham runs below AL on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Pelham adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Pelham does better than Alabama.
3 in 10 Pelham adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
97 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Pelham
No hospital or community health center in Pelham itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Pelham; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pelham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.2% of Pelham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Pelham and the towns around it
Pelham’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 7 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham | A− | 32.3% | 10.9% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Alabaster | A− | 32.8% | 10.9% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Chelsea | A | 31.5% | 9.6% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Helena | A | 31.6% | 9.5% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Hoover | A | 30.2% | 10.5% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Eagle Point | A | 29.7% | 10.3% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Indian Springs Village | A | 27.9% | 10.8% | 7.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pelham adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pelham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pelham is better than Alabama on 22 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Pelham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pelham | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%14.2–18.5 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 14.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13–16.5 | 17.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.3%26.7–38.4 | 39.4% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 14.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 39%35.1–42.9 | 43.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.8%35.8–43.9 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.5–29.5 | 30.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 7.3% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.3%4.7–6 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%6.9–10.6 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.6%9.1–12.3 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%17.5–24.5 | 28.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.7–19.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%30.8–41.6 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%7.1–9.7 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.6–82.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%62.4–69.7 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.3–89.6 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%71.9–78 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.6%64.1–73 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%71.8–84.3 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%18.6–25.2 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%26.4–34.8 | 35.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.9–23.7 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12%10.3–13.7 | 19.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.7–7.5 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.2%6.1–8.4 | 14% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%24.1–31.4 | 36.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%11–14.1 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.4 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%6–7.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Pelham
Is Pelham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelham is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #15 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pelham?
CDC estimates 32.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 38.4%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pelham?
Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, 7.3 miles in a straight line from Pelham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pelham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–9.7%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Pelham more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pelham.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.