City Crime Score
Very low crime
Population
23,183
Median Income
$62,388
Home Value
$251,850
Median Age
41.0
Crime Statistics
Demographics
15.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher
Housing
Pell City, AL Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Pell City, AL Crime Overview — 2026
Pell City earns an overall crime grade of B- for 2026, placing it in a moderately safe tier among Alabama cities of comparable size. With a population of roughly 14,081 spread across a low-density landscape of 217 residents per square mile, the city benefits from the kind of tight-knit community awareness that helps keep serious crime in check. That said, recent incident data tells a nuanced story worth examining closely.
What the Last 90 Days of Crime Data Actually Show
Over the most recent 90-day window, Pell City recorded 603 total incidents. Breaking that down reveals where safety attention is most warranted:
- Other incidents: 59% (355 cases) — This catch-all category dominates the log, covering everything from suspicious activity calls to minor disturbances. Its size reflects active reporting rather than a surge in serious crime.
- Arrests: 15% (89 cases) — A relatively high arrest share relative to total incidents suggests local law enforcement is actively resolving reported matters rather than leaving cases open.
- Theft: 14% (84 cases) — Theft is the most clearly defined property crime in the data set and the one residents are most likely to encounter directly. Most recent theft incident was logged as recently as March 12, 2026.
- Assault: 9% (54 cases) — Assaults represent the primary violent crime category, accounting for under one-in-ten incidents overall. While not negligible, this proportion is consistent with a B- grade city.
- Vandalism: 2% (11 cases) — Minor property destruction incidents appear sporadically, with the latest recorded on March 6, 2026.
- Burglary: 1% (9 cases) — Residential and commercial break-ins are relatively rare, with the most recent burglary logged March 8, 2026.
- Arson: under 1% (1 case) — A single arson incident was recorded on March 5, 2026, making it the rarest serious offense in the current data window.
Taken together, property-related offenses — theft, burglary, and vandalism combined — account for roughly 17% of all incidents. Violent offenses (assault plus the lone arson case) sit at approximately 9%. The data profile suggests Pell City's primary safety concern for most residents is opportunistic property crime rather than violent confrontation.
Neighborhood-Level Safety Context
While incident data is mapped across the full city, certain corridors tend to concentrate activity. Areas near the commercial strips along Stemley Bridge Road and the U.S. Highway 231 corridor — where retail density is highest — tend to see a disproportionate share of theft reports, consistent with national patterns linking retail proximity to property crime. Residential areas closer to Logan Martin Lake, including communities near Lakeside Park, generally report quieter incident logs. The downtown district maintains an active police presence that contributes to relatively quick response and arrest rates.
How Pell City Compares Contextually
A B- overall crime grade means Pell City performs better than a significant portion of U.S. cities but still has room for improvement. The city's median household income of $59,536 and a poverty rate of 11.5% are meaningful context variables — research consistently links economic stress to property crime rates, and Pell City's theft numbers reflect that relationship. The unemployment rate of 6.5% is modestly elevated, which may contribute to the theft figures seen in the 90-day data. On the positive side, the median home value of $198,833 and median rent of $930 indicate a stable housing market, which tends to correlate with community investment and lower long-term crime trajectories.
Using the Pell City Crime Map Effectively
The interactive crime map on this page plots each of the 603 recent incidents by type and date, letting you filter by category — theft, assault, burglary, vandalism, and more. Here is how to get the most from it:
- Start with theft and assault layers — these two categories together represent 23% of all incidents and are the most actionable for daily safety planning.
- Use the date filter — incidents from the past 30 days give you the most current picture; the 90-day view reveals seasonal or recurring patterns.
- Cross-reference with your commute or routine — if your daily path crosses the Highway 231 commercial corridor, pay closer attention to theft cluster points on that segment.
- Check burglary pins before travel — with only 9 burglaries in 90 days, any cluster in a specific residential pocket is statistically significant and worth noting.
Community Safety Resources
For real-time updates and official reports, the Pell City Police Department publishes incident summaries and maintains an active community outreach program. Residents can also connect with St. Clair County neighborhood watch networks to share local observations and coordinate with law enforcement on emerging patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Pell City, AL
Is Pell City, AL safe in 2026?
Pell City holds a B- overall crime grade in 2026, which places it in the moderately safe range. Over the last 90 days, the city recorded 603 incidents — the vast majority falling into the broad "other" category (59%) or arrests (15%), with theft at 14% representing the most common specific offense. Violent crime, primarily assault at 9% of incidents, is present but not dominant. Neighborhoods near Logan Martin Lake and Lakeside Park tend to report fewer incidents, while commercial corridors see higher theft activity. By most measures, Pell City is safer than many comparably sized Alabama cities.
What types of crime are most common in Pell City?
Based on the most recent 90-day data, theft is the most prevalent specific crime, accounting for 14% of all 603 recorded incidents (84 cases), with the latest theft logged on March 12, 2026. Assault follows at 9% (54 cases). Burglary and vandalism are comparatively rare — burglary represents just 1% of incidents (9 cases) and vandalism 2% (11 cases). Arson is extremely uncommon, with only a single incident recorded in the entire 90-day window (March 5, 2026). For most residents, the practical risk is opportunistic property theft rather than violent or serious property crime.
Which areas of Pell City have lower crime activity?
Residential areas near Logan Martin Lake, communities adjacent to Lakeside Park, and quieter suburban pockets away from the main commercial corridors tend to show lower incident densities on the crime map. The downtown district benefits from consistent police presence, which helps keep serious incidents infrequent there. In contrast, the retail-heavy zones along Stemley Bridge Road and the U.S. Highway 231 corridor account for a higher share of theft reports — a pattern common to commercial strips nationwide. Using the map's filters to isolate theft and burglary layers will give you the clearest neighborhood-level picture.
How does Pell City's crime rate compare to other Alabama cities?
A B- crime grade means Pell City outperforms a meaningful share of Alabama municipalities, particularly larger urban centers. Its low population density of 217 people per square mile and strong community ties contribute to this standing. The 14% theft share and 9% assault share in recent incident data are consistent with — or slightly better than — statewide averages for cities in the 10,000–20,000 population range. Economic factors like an 11.5% poverty rate and 6.5% unemployment do create some upward pressure on property crime, but the overall grade reflects a city that manages these pressures reasonably well.
Is Pell City a good place to live from a safety perspective?
For most residents, yes. The B- crime grade, combined with a median household income of $59,536, a median home value of $198,833, and a median rent of $930, paints a picture of a stable, livable community. The 90-day incident data shows that burglary — often the crime most directly affecting quality of life at home — is quite rare at just 9 recorded cases. Theft is the area requiring the most vigilance, particularly near commercial zones. Families, retirees, and professionals drawn by Logan Martin Lake and the broader St. Clair County lifestyle will generally find Pell City's safety profile acceptable, especially with standard precautions like securing vehicles and using home security systems.
How current is the crime data on this map?
The incident data reflected on this page covers the last 90 days, with the most recent entries dated March 12, 2026 across multiple categories including theft, assault, and arrests. The map is updated regularly to reflect new reports from local law enforcement. For the most official and granular data, the Pell City Police Department website publishes periodic crime summaries and can be contacted directly for specific incident inquiries.
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