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Pelham, AL

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Pelham, AL

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Demographics

Majority WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 53
Population24,510
Foreign Born5.5%
Population Density632people per mi²
Median Age41.2 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

121/100

21% above national average

A-

The Real Cost of Living in Pelham, Alabama

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $25k$47k
Comfortable $54k$80k
Luxury $134k+$208k+
Elite (Top 5%) $158k+$245k+
Affordability Ratio

115%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean89%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
18
Poor
5
Negative
2

Groceries

0 within 10 miles

11.2mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

11.5mi

Airport

Bessemer National Airport - Mitchell Field - EKY

6.8mi

Post Office

USPS — Birmingham, AL

16.2mi

Critical Amenities

Golf2Nearest 3.6 mi
Camping20Nearest 5.7 mi
Marina1Nearest 4.4 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink0Nearest 120.4 mi
Gun Range3Nearest 5.5 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C+
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$92k-2.3%
22% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$398k
39% below US avg
College Educated
48.8%
39% above US avg
WFH
17.8%
24% above US avg
Homeownership
83.4%
28% above US avg
Median Home
$279k
1% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 84% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
9.7
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−26.7%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−2.1%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.08 / 1k Residents74% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
1.28 / 1k Residents54% below state avg

Property Crime

5yr−51.4%
Burglary
0.55 / 1k Residents75% below state avg
Larceny-Theft
7.08 / 1k Residents35% below state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.55 / 1k Residents66% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+20Solidly Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Pelham, Alabama
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%200020042008

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B-
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C+
Weak9.8% of income
Property Rights
D
WeakIJ Grade D
Firearm Rights
A-
GreatFPC Grade A-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (45% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
F
ProhibitedIllegal
Gambling Laws
F
ProhibitedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season258 days338 frost-free
Annual Rainfall61.2"
Elevation489 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B-
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A-
Good872 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak632/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B+
Good6 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 715 mi · coast 192 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$105.8M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityAtlanta499k people are 143 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital70 miMontgomery, AL
Nearest Prison17 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T19:04:42.000Z

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