Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in Alabama
The typical rent in Alabama is $1,007 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,170 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $22.50 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in Alabama
- Typical rent
- $1,007
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 29% less than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,170
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $921 to $1,434 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $22.50
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $46,800 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 49%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of Alabama, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $12.33–$22.69 an hour
Lowest: $641 Highest: $1,180
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $13.54–$25.33 an hour
Lowest: $704 Highest: $1,317
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $17.71–$27.58 an hour
Lowest: $921 Highest: $1,434
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $21.10–$35.67 an hour
Lowest: $1,097 Highest: $1,855
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $23.27–$45.13 an hour
Lowest: $1,210 Highest: $2,347
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Alabama, 49% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
49%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
595,092 renter households in Alabama
- Spend half or more of their income 25%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 24%
- Spend less than 30% 51%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in Alabama. Highest fair market rent first.
| Baldwin County | $1,434 | $1,277 | $27.58 | 47% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | $1,375 | $1,401 | $26.44 | 47% |
| Jefferson County | $1,375 | $1,193 | $26.44 | 54% |
| St. Clair County | $1,375 | $1,084 | $26.44 | 43% |
| Blount County | $1,375 | $776 | $26.44 | 42% |
| Bibb County | $1,375 | $733 | $26.44 | 60% |
| Madison County | $1,341 | $1,209 | $25.79 | 44% |
| Limestone County | $1,341 | $970 | $25.79 | 41% |
| Lee County | $1,277 | $1,058 | $24.56 | 57% |
| Russell County | $1,212 | $939 | $23.31 | 54% |
| Tuscaloosa County | $1,165 | $1,037 | $22.40 | 51% |
| Hale County | $1,165 | $715 | $22.40 | 50% |
| Greene County | $1,163 | $432 | $22.37 | 50% |
| Autauga County | $1,150 | $1,263 | $22.12 | 35% |
| Montgomery County | $1,150 | $1,092 | $22.12 | 53% |
| Elmore County | $1,150 | $1,071 | $22.12 | 45% |
| Lowndes County | $1,150 | $710 | $22.12 | 54% |
| Mobile County | $1,139 | $1,052 | $21.90 | 56% |
| Coffee County | $1,098 | $1,018 | $21.12 | 39% |
| Chambers County | $1,091 | $871 | $20.98 | 47% |
| Colbert County | $1,085 | $887 | $20.87 | 41% |
| Lauderdale County | $1,085 | $838 | $20.87 | 38% |
| Pike County | $1,055 | $856 | $20.29 | 55% |
| Chilton County | $1,038 | $871 | $19.96 | 35% |
| Cullman County | $1,034 | $908 | $19.88 | 39% |
| Morgan County | $1,023 | $864 | $19.67 | 45% |
| Lawrence County | $1,023 | $753 | $19.67 | 38% |
| Calhoun County | $1,010 | $826 | $19.42 | 45% |
| Cleburne County | $1,004 | $798 | $19.31 | 50% |
| Tallapoosa County | $994 | $765 | $19.12 | 36% |
| Cherokee County | $986 | $762 | $18.96 | 40% |
| Macon County | $981 | $734 | $18.87 | 52% |
| Talladega County | $977 | $785 | $18.79 | 44% |
| Etowah County | $975 | $847 | $18.75 | 48% |
| Houston County | $966 | $945 | $18.58 | 46% |
| Geneva County | $966 | $784 | $18.58 | 40% |
| Butler County | $959 | $725 | $18.44 | 46% |
| Walker County | $949 | $756 | $18.25 | 41% |
| Dallas County | $945 | $733 | $18.17 | 62% |
| Marshall County | $925 | $795 | $17.79 | 47% |
| Randolph County | $923 | $708 | $17.75 | 47% |
| Dale County | $921 | $889 | $17.71 | 40% |
| Conecuh County | $921 | $834 | $17.71 | 51% |
| Winston County | $921 | $803 | $17.71 | 33% |
| Clarke County | $921 | $782 | $17.71 | 58% |
| Jackson County | $921 | $780 | $17.71 | 45% |
| Sumter County | $921 | $775 | $17.71 | 60% |
| Henry County | $921 | $769 | $17.71 | 47% |
| Escambia County | $921 | $766 | $17.71 | 44% |
| Covington County | $921 | $746 | $17.71 | 50% |
| Wilcox County | $921 | $745 | $17.71 | 48% |
| Marengo County | $921 | $716 | $17.71 | 54% |
| DeKalb County | $921 | $693 | $17.71 | 44% |
| Barbour County | $921 | $688 | $17.71 | 37% |
| Franklin County | $921 | $676 | $17.71 | 36% |
| Fayette County | $921 | $667 | $17.71 | 33% |
| Monroe County | $921 | $666 | $17.71 | 51% |
| Coosa County | $921 | $665 | $17.71 | — |
| Crenshaw County | $921 | $661 | $17.71 | 44% |
| Washington County | $921 | $655 | $17.71 | — |
| Pickens County | $921 | $648 | $17.71 | 40% |
| Marion County | $921 | $630 | $17.71 | 46% |
| Clay County | $921 | $619 | $17.71 | 41% |
| Perry County | $921 | $592 | $17.71 | 51% |
| Bullock County | $921 | $556 | $17.71 | 51% |
| Lamar County | $921 | $549 | $17.71 | 52% |
| Choctaw County | $921 | $543 | $17.71 | 38% |
- Baldwin $1,434$27.58
- Shelby $1,375$26.44
- Jefferson $1,375$26.44
- St. Clair $1,375$26.44
- Blount $1,375$26.44
- Bibb $1,375$26.44
- Madison $1,341$25.79
- Limestone $1,341$25.79
- Lee $1,277$24.56
- Russell $1,212$23.31
- Tuscaloosa $1,165$22.40
- Hale $1,165$22.40
- Greene $1,163$22.37
- Autauga $1,150$22.12
- Montgomery $1,150$22.12
- Elmore $1,150$22.12
- Lowndes $1,150$22.12
- Mobile $1,139$21.90
- Coffee $1,098$21.12
- Chambers $1,091$20.98
- Colbert $1,085$20.87
- Lauderdale $1,085$20.87
- Pike $1,055$20.29
- Chilton $1,038$19.96
- Cullman $1,034$19.88
- Morgan $1,023$19.67
- Lawrence $1,023$19.67
- Calhoun $1,010$19.42
- Cleburne $1,004$19.31
- Tallapoosa $994$19.12
- Cherokee $986$18.96
- Macon $981$18.87
- Talladega $977$18.79
- Etowah $975$18.75
- Houston $966$18.58
- Geneva $966$18.58
- Butler $959$18.44
- Walker $949$18.25
- Dallas $945$18.17
- Marshall $925$17.79
- Randolph $923$17.75
- Dale $921$17.71
- Conecuh $921$17.71
- Winston $921$17.71
- Clarke $921$17.71
- Jackson $921$17.71
- Sumter $921$17.71
- Henry $921$17.71
- Escambia $921$17.71
- Covington $921$17.71
- Wilcox $921$17.71
- Marengo $921$17.71
- DeKalb $921$17.71
- Barbour $921$17.71
- Franklin $921$17.71
- Fayette $921$17.71
- Monroe $921$17.71
- Coosa $921$17.71
- Crenshaw $921$17.71
- Washington $921$17.71
- Pickens $921$17.71
- Marion $921$17.71
- Clay $921$17.71
- Perry $921$17.71
- Bullock $921$17.71
- Lamar $921$17.71
- Choctaw $921$17.71
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in Alabama
What Alabama law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- How much can they charge for a deposit?
- Up to 1 month of rent
- Ala. Code §35-9A-201(a)
- When must they return my deposit?
- 60 calendar days
- Ala. Code §35-9A-201(b)-(c)
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 7 business days
- Ala. Code §35-9A-421(b)
- How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
- 30 calendar days
- Ala. Code §35-9A-441(b)
- Only a court order can remove youAla. Code §35-9A-427
- Protection from retaliationAla. Code §35-9A-501(a)
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in Alabama
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
-
25 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 8 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in Alabama is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Baldwin County ($1,434, about $27.58 an hour) and the cheapest Dale County ($921, about $17.71 an hour).
How many households in Alabama spend too much on rent?
49% of renter households in Alabama spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 25% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In Alabama, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $921 to $1,434 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in Alabama?
142 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Alabama; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.