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City · 16,951 residents · Colbert County, Alabama

Muscle Shoals , Alabama

In Muscle Shoals, a typical home is worth $199,700 and typical rent is $1,029 a month. Compared with all of Colbert County, typical household income is 25% higher and the typical home value is 17% higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $199,700

    17% above the county

    5% below Alabama

    • Muscle Shoals
    • Colbert
    • Alabama

  • Typical rent

    $1,029a month

    16% above the county

    2% above Alabama

    • Muscle Shoals
    • Colbert
    • Alabama

  • Typical household income

    $75,894a year

    25% above the county

    19% above Alabama

    • Muscle Shoals
    • Colbert
    • Alabama

  • Households that own their home

    67%

    4 points below the county

    3 points below Alabama

    • Muscle Shoals
    • Colbert
    • Alabama

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$260,476
2.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,359 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Muscle Shoals is in Colbert County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Colbert County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Muscle Shoals apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Muscle Shoals has the smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 101 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people: 26%.

  2. Nearby, in Russellville, the typical home value is $123,800: 38% less than in Muscle Shoals ($199,700).

  3. Nearby, in Russellville, the typical rent is $685: 33% less than in Muscle Shoals ($1,029).

  4. The typical household income in Muscle Shoals is $75,894, 25% more than in Colbert County as a whole ($60,628).

  5. The typical home in Muscle Shoals is worth $199,700, 17% more than in Colbert County as a whole ($171,000).

  6. The typical rent in Muscle Shoals is $1,029 a month, 16% more than in Colbert County as a whole ($887).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Muscle Shoals

What homes there are in Muscle Shoals, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is the most common home in Muscle Shoals: 75% of homes, near the figure in Colbert County (77%).

Year built

Homes in Muscle Shoals are newer: the typical year built is 1990; in Colbert County, 1979.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Colbert County is high ($541,287): at least 94% of owner-occupied homes in Muscle Shoals are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,420 a month

Colbert County: $1,243 a month

Without a mortgage

$469 a month

Colbert County: $448 a month

Owners with a mortgage

59%

Colbert County: 51%

Owning costs more in Muscle Shoals: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,420 a month; in Colbert County, $1,243. Without one, $469.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Muscle Shoals gained value more slowly than in Colbert County: 36% since 2015–2019, against 42%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Muscle Shoals rose 24%, less than in Colbert County (27%).

To compare: typical income in Muscle Shoals rose 25%; the home, +36%; the rent, +24%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureMuscle ShoalsColbert CountyAlabamaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate7.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.432.372.482.53
Drive alone 78%81%81%69%
Carpool 8%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Work from home 14%7%9%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Muscle Shoals look like those in Colbert County: 2.43 people on average.

Working from home is more common in Muscle Shoals: 14%, against 7% in Colbert County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Muscle Shoals?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Muscle Shoals, worth $199,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 25% of the typical household income in Muscle Shoals, which is $75,894 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Colbert County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Muscle Shoals. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,990 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,575

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$196,082
Total interest
$282,117
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,372 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,771 a month

    Your payment · 25%

  • Tight

    $1,771 to $2,277 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,277 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Muscle Shoals ($75,894 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,575
Principal & interest$1,328
Property tax$75
Home insurance$83
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$88

You need at least $6,990 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Muscle Shoals and Colbert County

Muscle Shoals is in Colbert County, Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Muscle Shoals's own numbers

Typical home value
$199,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,029
Typical yearly household income
$75,894
Households that own their home
67%
Effective property tax rate
0.45%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Colbert County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,085
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+63%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Colbert County.

Everything about Colbert County

Buying

Buying a home in Muscle Shoals

A typical home in Muscle Shoals is worth $199,700: 17% above the county and 5% below Alabama. With the typical household income in Muscle Shoals ($75,894 a year), a typical home costs 2.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Muscle Shoals 2.6 years
  • Colbert 2.8 years
  • Alabama 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Colbert County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Colbert County rose 88% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Colbert County.

Period County Alabama U.S.
Last year (2025) +7.3% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +63% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +88% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Muscle Shoals next to Colbert County, Alabama and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Muscle Shoals $199,700
  • Colbert $171,000
  • Alabama $209,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Muscle Shoals $1,029
  • Colbert $887
  • Alabama $1,007
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Muscle Shoals $75,894
  • Colbert $60,628
  • Alabama $63,999
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Muscle Shoals next to Colbert County and Alabama
Measure Muscle Shoals Colbert County Alabama U.S.
Typical home value $199,700 $171,000 $209,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,029 $887 $1,007 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $75,894 $60,628 $63,999 $80,734
Households that own their home 67% 71% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $899 $678 $788 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.45% 0.4% 0.38% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 26% 41% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Colbert County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Muscle Shoals

For a typical $199,700 home in Muscle Shoals, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Muscle Shoals's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,575a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,990
    Cash to close
    $12,981
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $88

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,538a month

    Down payment
    $9,985
    Cash to close
    $15,976
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $95

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,240a month

    Down payment
    $39,940
    Cash to close
    $45,931
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,425a month

    Down payment
    $29,955
    Cash to close
    $35,946
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Muscle Shoals and for Colbert County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Muscle Shoals

0.45%of the home’s value each year

$899 a year for the typical owner in Muscle Shoals.

  • Muscle Shoals 0.45%
  • Colbert 0.4%
  • Alabama 0.38%

What Alabama publishes Basic homestead exemption (type H-1) (Alabama Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Alabama

Flood risk in Colbert County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Colbert County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.9%
446
Of those, with NFIP insurance
11%
County Alabama U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.9% 3.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 11% 29% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Muscle Shoals

Typical rent in Muscle Shoals is $1,029 a month: 16% above the county. In Muscle Shoals, 26% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Colbert County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,085 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $20.87 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Colbert County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $760 $14.62 $30,400
1 bedroom $834 $16.04 $33,360
2 bedrooms $1,085 $20.87 $43,400
3 bedrooms $1,348 $25.92 $53,920
4 bedrooms $1,426 $27.42 $57,040

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Muscle Shoals

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Muscle Shoals has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,030 in 35674 to $1,240 in 35661.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Colbert County ($1,085).

  • 35661 $1,240$1,540
  • 35674 $1,030$1,280

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Muscle Shoals when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Muscle Shoals

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Muscle Shoals.

  • Avalon Park Apartments 1901J Sheffield Ave, Muscle Shoals 35661 60 low-income homes · For families (256) 381-8406

See all 14 buildings in Colbert County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Muscle Shoals

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Colbert County; none says it serves in Spanish.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Muscle Shoals

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Muscle Shoals or Colbert County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Muscle Shoals the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Alabama

  • Step Up

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority program with down payment assistance of 4% of the price (up to $10,000) as a 10-year second mortgage, alongside a 30-year fixed mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • First Step Mortgage Revenue Bonds

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority 30-year low-rate mortgage, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% of the price, up to $10,000, as a ten-year second mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • Affordable Income Subsidy Grant

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority grant for closing costs with an HFA Advantage conventional loan: 1% of the loan if you earn up to 50% of the area median, or half a percent if you earn 50% to 80%. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Muscle Shoals

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Muscle Shoals, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama - Colbert County

    505 N Columbia Avenue, Sheffield · 4 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (256) 383-3832

  • Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama, Inc.

    745 Thompson St, Florence · 5 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (256) 766-4330

  • Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama - Franklin County

    13150 Highway 43 Ste 4, Russellville · 19 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (256) 332-7534

Every agency in Colbert County All counseling agencies in Alabama

Help in Spanish near Muscle Shoals

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Muscle Shoals

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Colbert County is named for Muscle Shoals or Colbert County.

2 other authorities have an office in Colbert County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Colbert County

These cities are also in Colbert County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Colbert County Housing in Alabama

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Muscle Shoals, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Colbert County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Muscle Shoals.

All guides
A mother holding her baby watches her daughter blow bubbles outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about Muscle Shoals

Short answers with the numbers for Muscle Shoals and all of Colbert County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Muscle Shoals?

The typical home value in Muscle Shoals is $199,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Colbert County it is $171,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Muscle Shoals?

Typical rent in Muscle Shoals is $1,029 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Colbert County is $1,085.

What is the FHA loan limit in Muscle Shoals?

Muscle Shoals uses the FHA limit for all of Colbert County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Muscle Shoals?

The typical homeowner in Muscle Shoals pays $899 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.45% of the home’s value; in Colbert County, the rate is 0.4%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Muscle Shoals?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Colbert County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).