Pelham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clay
Pelham
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs98 · Top 12%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs77 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Clay | Pelham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,273 | 24,827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,920 | $101,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,802 | $45,743 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 911/sq mi | 640/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $220,600 | $299,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,240 | $1,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.5% | 83.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 101 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 150.0% | -42.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.6" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Clay
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Pelham
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Clay, AL · Pelham, AL · How this is calculated: methodology