Helena receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Helena
Pelham
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 12%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
80 · Top 7%
vs77 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Helena | Pelham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,769 | 24,827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,139 | $101,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,640 | $45,743 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 975/sq mi | 640/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $330,700 | $299,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,574 | $1,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.1% | 83.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.4% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 101 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.4% | -42.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.86 | 15.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.9% | 47.2% | 2024-25 school 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
Helena
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Pelham
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Helena, AL · Pelham, AL · How this is calculated: methodology