The Town FilesPelham, Alabama
City in Shelby County · population 24,318 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,800
- Household income
- $101,094
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 40.0
Pelham is a city of 24,318 people in Shelby County, Alabama. The median home is worth $299,800, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). It ranks more upscale than 94% of Alabama towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Alabama towns, more vibrant than 92% of Alabama towns.
How Pelham ranks
Percentile among Alabama towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alabama towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pelham is worth $299,800, above the typical Alabama town ($161,250). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $101,094, which is more affordable than 45% of Alabama towns. Median rent is $1,577 a month. 83.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pelham | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,800 | $161,250 |
| Median rent | $1,577 | $834 |
| Median household income | $101,094 | $56,250 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.9% | 71.3% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Pelham
| People | Pelham | Typical Alabama town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 17.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 16.7% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 5.1% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 86.7% |
Weather in Pelham
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 34.6°F. About 55.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical Alabama town: 0.6 in). Expect about 87 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 51 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pelham since 1950, compared with 30 for the typical Alabama town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 5, 1963 about 9.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 141 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 83 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 2, 2003.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3618: Hurricane Helene |
| December 21, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4632: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 26, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4596: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 14, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3545: Hurricane Sally |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4503: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 85,169 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,772 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Pelham itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Pelham
7 public schools with 3,519 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham High School | 9-12 | 1,100 | 15.7 |
| Pelham Park Middle School | 6-8 | 833 | 18.5 |
| Pelham Ridge | PK-5 | 781 | 15.3 |
| Pelham Oaks | PK-5 | 734 | 14.7 |
| Linda Nolen Learning Center | PK-12 | 71 | 5.9 |
| STAR Program Middle | 6-8 | — | — |
| STAR Program Elementary | PK-5 | — | — |
Towns near Pelham
- Hoover, AL5.3 mi · 92,606 people · home $412,200
- Meadowbrook, AL5.5 mi · 9,688 people · home $423,700
- Chelsea, AL6.2 mi · 14,982 people · home $360,000
- Eagle Point, AL6.6 mi · 2,903 people · home $493,800
- Highland Lakes, AL7.6 mi · 5,239 people · home $599,200
- Brook Highland, AL8.7 mi · 7,406 people · home $427,400
- Helena, AL8.7 mi · 20,914 people · home $330,700
- Alabaster, AL8.8 mi · 33,284 people · home $261,700
Pelham questions
Is Pelham, Alabama a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pelham scores better for retirees than 69% of Alabama towns and quieter than 27%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Pelham?
The median owner-occupied home in Pelham is valued at $299,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,094, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,577 a month.
What is the weather like in Pelham?
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 34.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Pelham get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pelham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 5, 1963. The typical Alabama town has had 30.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)