Pelham City, AL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Pelham City

Pelham City School District sits in Shelby County, Alabama, a single-city system serving students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade. The district covers the town of Pelham and draws from a small cluster of surrounding ZIP codes, with housing values that generally run above the statewide median. The area’s home values have been rising modestly, and rents have held steady. A family looking at this community would find a market where buying a home is more expensive than renting, and where the national mortgage rate at the time of this data is around the mid-six percent mark.

The district enrolls several thousand students. Racially and ethnically, the student body is diverse: white students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic students, Black students, and smaller groups of Asian, multiracial, and other backgrounds. Data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status were not reported, so a parent cannot assess the level of poverty or the scale of specialized supports from the available numbers.

On state assessments in the most recent school year, Pelham City showed a clear split between subjects. In English language arts, proficiency rates across grades three through eight ranged from above half to around three-quarters of students meeting the bar, with the strongest results in the upper elementary grades. In math, proficiency was lower across every tested grade, with the highest rates in third grade and a steady decline through middle school, where fewer than one in four students reached proficiency in seventh and eighth grades. Science results fell in the middle, with roughly half of fourth graders and two-fifths of eighth graders scoring proficient. Because this is the only year of data available, no trend can be drawn. Compared to other school districts in Shelby County, Pelham City’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quarter of the small peer group, meaning that other districts in the county posted higher combined scores. A parent may want to ask the district about its math instruction approach, particularly in middle school, where outcomes are weakest.

Chronic absenteeism, a measure of how many students miss a substantial number of school days, was reported at a rate that falls above the midpoint among the county’s districts. This is a soft spot worth noting; a family could inquire what supports the district has in place to improve attendance.

Per-pupil spending, a broad measure of resources allocated to each student, sits in the middle range among Shelby County districts, on the upper side of that middle range. That suggests the district is not particularly under-resourced compared to its neighbors.

Graduation rate data was not available in the provided information, so no statement can be made about high school completion.

The district operates four schools: two elementary schools (Pelham Oaks and Pelham Ridge), one middle school (Pelham Park), and one high school (Pelham High). This is a straightforward structure for a city of Pelham’s size. No data was reported on course access, such as Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical education pathways, so a parent with a high schooler would need to contact the district directly to learn about program breadth at the high school level.

Discipline data, staffing ratios, teacher qualifications, and English learner supports were all absent from the available records. Families with a child who has an Individualized Education Program or who is an English learner should seek specific information from the district office, as these gaps mean the public data does not show how well those populations are served.

The district brief, which searched for recent changes visible to parents, found little of lasting impact. No major boundary adjustments, leadership turnover, or program launches were publicly reported. This is a stable setting without recent disruption, though it also means no new initiatives are documented.

For a family considering Pelham, the picture is one of a moderately performing district in a growing suburban part of central Alabama. The housing market is expensive relative to the state, the student body is diverse, and the academic data points to stronger literacy than math. The absence of several key data fields means a parent or resident should plan to gather more information directly, especially around special programs, student support services, and high school outcomes. This is a district that fits a family comfortable with that kind of hands-on inquiry.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,448

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 28%

Black 20%

White 44%

Asian 3%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

46%

85%

Gr 4

62%

79%

Gr 5

67%

82%

Gr 6

58%

82%

Gr 7

46%

78%

Gr 8

45%

65%

Math

Gr 3

28%

68%

Gr 4

32%

58%

Gr 5

29%

58%

Gr 6

23%

50%

Gr 7

11%

27%

Gr 8

17%

28%

Science

Gr 4

35%

63%

Gr 8

30%

52%

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Pelham Oaks

Pelham Ridge

Pelham Park Middle School

Pelham High School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

47%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

35%

Grade 6

19%

Grade 7

22%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

64%

Grade 3

70%

Grade 4

74%

Grade 5

69%

Grade 6

63%

Grade 7

55%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

49%

Grade 4

41%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$352,066

Year-over-year change+2.2%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$292K to $564K

vs. state typical1.49x

vs. national typical0.96x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
35124	Pelham	$348K	+2.3%	89.3%
35043	Chelsea	$382K	+1.3%	9.2%
35244	Hoover	$478K	+2.1%	0.8%
35007	Alabaster	$292K	+3.1%	0.5%
35242	Birmingham	$564K	+1.7%	0.1%
35080	Helena	$340K	+2.3%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,155/mo

Year-over-year change+0.1%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,344 to $2,252/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
35043	Chelsea	$2,252	—	9.2%
35244	Hoover	$1,344	-2.5%	0.8%
35007	Alabaster	$1,795	+3.9%	0.5%
35242	Birmingham	$1,491	-0.7%	0.1%
35080	Helena	$1,892	—	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,777/mo

Home price / national median income4.2x

Annual rent / national median income30.9%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$378/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$236,705 (+1.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.