Population 21,802 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pelham
Household size in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Pelham sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.64 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.1 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.7 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.8 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Pelham are younger than 40.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.1, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Pelham as they are nationally: 11.2%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.4 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Pelham
Renters in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.2% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.7% of households in Pelham rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 31.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the southeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.8% of homes in Pelham are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Only seven of the 186 Alabama cities with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1996 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Pelham has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1996, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1993 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the north has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $894 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,090 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,182 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,370 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$476 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
Rent in Pelham runs $1,370 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the wider Birmingham area ($1,238). Rent has climbed $476 a month since 2006–10, up 53%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Pelham
Bachelor's degrees in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.8% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.4% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.4% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Pelham (45.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 15 of the 186 Alabama cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.4% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.8% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Pelham: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 18 of the 186 Alabama cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Pelham
| Period | Pelham | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Pelham has been strong: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Pelham compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham | 2.58 | 40.9 | 11.2% | 17.7% | 4.8% | 1996 | $1,370 | 45.4% | 94.8% | 2.2% |
| Helena | 2.91 | 38.3 | 6.8% | 7.5% | 8.6% | 2003 | $1,920 | 54.8% | 97.5% | 2.3% |
| Alabaster | 2.72 | 38.1 | 11.2% | 16.2% | 6.1% | 1993 | $1,475 | 37.7% | 93.1% | 3.9% |
| Indian Springs Village | 2.99 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 9.8% | 5.7% | 1985 | $1,636 | 63.8% | 95.0% | 2.8% |
| Hoover | 2.52 | 39.9 | 9.0% | 32.7% | 7.4% | 1992 | $1,535 | 60.9% | 96.7% | 3.1% |
| Maylene | 3.08 | 39.1 | 10.4% | 7.0% | 2.7% | 2002 | $1,275 | 42.5% | 96.2% | 1.6% |
| Siluria | 2.68 | 41.8 | 10.0% | 10.0% | 5.0% | 2008 | $923 | 45.2% | 95.0% | 6.9% |
| Simmsville | 1.96 | 56.7 | 7.1% | 9.5% | 4.3% | 2005 | $1,625 | 58.7% | 98.3% | 5.6% |
| Saginaw | 2.94 | 32.5 | 11.0% | 31.3% | 17.6% | 1995 | $957 | 26.8% | 81.8% | 6.3% |
| Chelsea | 2.98 | 41.6 | 6.0% | 10.1% | 4.6% | 2007 | $1,291 | 45.2% | 96.8% | 3.6% |
| Meadowbrook | 2.73 | 41.6 | 5.7% | 7.0% | 9.7% | 1988 | $1,419 | 72.9% | 98.9% | 1.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Red Bank, NJ · Lucedale, MS · Lynbrook, NY · Lynden, WA · Lyndhurst, NJ · Lynn Haven, FL · Merchantville, NJ · Merrick, NY · Middletown, PA · Mooresville, IN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Pelham. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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