1900s Cogwell Avenue Pell City April 2014 2 · Chris Pruitt / CC BY-SA 3.0One of the young doffers working in Pell City Cotton Mill. Supt. of Mill is also Mayor of Pell City. Pell City, Ala. - NARA - 523356 borderless · Lewis Hine / Public domainPell City Drug Company April 2014 · Chris Pruitt / CC BY-SA 3.0
Pell City is a small city of 13,148 in Alabama, with a median household income of $71,027
and a 7.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is
7% below the national average.
Strengths:
Pell City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Pell City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Pell City city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.6
Pell City's overall cost of living index is 92.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Pell City costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
Metric
Pell City, AL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$223,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,085
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
64.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$71,027
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Pell City's violent crime rate is 294.7 per 100,000 residents
— 22% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
294.7 /100k
Property Crime
2203.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Pell City is served primarily by Pell City.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1
(slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Pell City, AL
National Avg
School District
Pell City
—
Elementary Schools
4
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
20.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
88.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Pell City sees average highs of 54.1°F in January
and 90.0°F in July,
with 57.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.9 inches of snow per year.
Pell City's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Pell City roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $223,300 and median rent is $1,085/month.
Pell City's violent crime rate is 294.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2203.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Pell City are operated by Pell City.
The district has 4 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1. 20.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Pell City, AL has a population of 13,148, a median household income of $71,027, and an unemployment rate of 7.4%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Pell City averages 54.1°F in January and 90.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 57.2 inches
with about 0.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Pell City, AL is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 35128, 35125, 35054.
The population of Pell City, Alabama is 13,148 with a median age of 38.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Pell City: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $223,300, median household income $71,027, crime index 89 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Pell City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
