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City · 111,038 residents · Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

Tuscaloosa , Alabama

In Tuscaloosa, a typical home is worth $255,500 and typical rent is $1,055 a month. Compared with all of Tuscaloosa County, typical household income is 22% lower and the share of households that own their home is 19 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $255,500

    3% above the county

    22% above Alabama

    • Tuscaloosa
    • County
    • Alabama

  • Typical rent

    $1,055a month

    About the same as the county

    5% above Alabama

    • Tuscaloosa
    • County
    • Alabama

  • Typical household income

    $51,464a year

    22% below the county

    20% below Alabama

    • Tuscaloosa
    • County
    • Alabama

  • Households that own their home

    43%

    19 points below the county

    27 points below Alabama

    • Tuscaloosa
    • County
    • Alabama

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$243,681
0.8% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,701 a month
5% more than 12 months ago

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

Tuscaloosa is in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Tuscaloosa apart

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

  1. Tuscaloosa has the 3rd lowest homeownership rate of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people (43%).

  2. Nearby, in Bessemer, the typical home value is $135,900: 47% less than in Tuscaloosa ($255,500).

  3. The typical household income in Tuscaloosa is $51,464, 22% less than in Tuscaloosa County as a whole ($66,231).

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

The homes here

Housing in Tuscaloosa

What homes there are in Tuscaloosa, 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

In Tuscaloosa there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (49%); in Tuscaloosa County, 62%.

Year built

In Tuscaloosa, half of the homes were built before 1988; in Tuscaloosa County, before 1992.

Homes in Tuscaloosa are smaller: 55% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Tuscaloosa County, 68%.

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

About 82% of owner-occupied homes in Tuscaloosa are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Tuscaloosa County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,165), about 57% of rented homes in Tuscaloosa cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,702 a month

Tuscaloosa County: $1,559 a month

Without a mortgage

$528 a month

Tuscaloosa County: $473 a month

Owners with a mortgage

62%

Tuscaloosa County: 63%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Tuscaloosa is $1,702 a month, more than in Tuscaloosa County ($1,559); without one, $528.

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 Tuscaloosa gained value more slowly than in Tuscaloosa County: 43% since 2015–2019, against 46%.

Rents in Tuscaloosa rose at about the same pace as in Tuscaloosa County: 25% since 2015–2019, against 23%.

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Tuscaloosa: typical income rose 14%, against +43% for home values and +25% for rent.

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

MeasureTuscaloosaTuscaloosa CountyAlabamaUnited States
Rental vacancy 5.4%4.7%7.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.8%2.0%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.302.472.482.53
Drive alone 75%79%81%69%
Carpool 9%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%0%3%
Walk or bike 5%2%1%3%
Work from home 8%7%9%15%
Other means 1%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in Tuscaloosa look like those in Tuscaloosa County: the rental vacancy rate is 5.4%.

More than one person per room: that is how 1.8% of households in Tuscaloosa live, near the figure in Tuscaloosa County (2.0%).

Households in Tuscaloosa are smaller: 2.30 people on average; in Tuscaloosa County, 2.47.

In Tuscaloosa, 75% of workers drive alone to work; in Tuscaloosa County, 79%.

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 Tuscaloosa?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Tuscaloosa, worth $255,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 47% of the typical household income in Tuscaloosa, which is $51,464 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $86,530 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Tuscaloosa. 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 $8,943 (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

$2,019

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$250,872
Total interest
$360,946
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,315 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,201 a month

  • Tight

    $1,201 to $1,544 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,544 a month

    Your payment · 47%

Compared with the typical household income in Tuscaloosa ($51,464 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,019
Principal & interest$1,699
Property tax$100
Home insurance$107
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$113

You need at least $8,943 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

Tuscaloosa and Tuscaloosa County

Tuscaloosa is in Tuscaloosa 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).

Tuscaloosa's own numbers

Typical home value
$255,500
Typical monthly rent
$1,055
Typical yearly household income
$51,464
Households that own their home
43%
Effective property tax rate
0.47%

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

Numbers for all of Tuscaloosa County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,165
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+39%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.1%

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 Tuscaloosa County.

Everything about Tuscaloosa County

Buying

Buying a home in Tuscaloosa

A typical home in Tuscaloosa is worth $255,500: 3% above the county and 22% above Alabama. With the typical household income in Tuscaloosa ($51,464 a year), a typical home costs 5.0 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.

  • Tuscaloosa 5.0 years
  • County 3.8 years
  • Alabama 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Tuscaloosa County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Tuscaloosa County rose 65% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Alabama U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.3% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +39% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +65% +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

Tuscaloosa next to Tuscaloosa 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
  • Tuscaloosa $255,500
  • County $248,700
  • Alabama $209,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Tuscaloosa $1,055
  • County $1,037
  • Alabama $1,007
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Tuscaloosa $51,464
  • County $66,231
  • Alabama $63,999
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Tuscaloosa next to Tuscaloosa County and Alabama
Measure Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa County Alabama U.S.
Typical home value $255,500 $248,700 $209,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,055 $1,037 $1,007 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $51,464 $66,231 $63,999 $80,734
Households that own their home 43% 61% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,210 $795 $788 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.47% 0.32% 0.38% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 51% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa

For a typical $255,500 home in Tuscaloosa, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Tuscaloosa's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,019a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,943
    Cash to close
    $16,608
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $113

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,972a month

    Down payment
    $12,775
    Cash to close
    $20,440
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $121

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,591a month

    Down payment
    $51,100
    Cash to close
    $58,765
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,827a month

    Down payment
    $38,325
    Cash to close
    $45,990
    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 Tuscaloosa and for Tuscaloosa County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Tuscaloosa

0.47%of the home’s value each year

$1,210 a year for the typical owner in Tuscaloosa.

  • Tuscaloosa 0.47%
  • County 0.32%
  • Alabama 0.38%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Alabama

Flood risk in Tuscaloosa County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.1%
1,349
Of those, with NFIP insurance
30%
County Alabama U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.1% 3.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 30% 29% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Tuscaloosa

Typical rent in Tuscaloosa is $1,055 a month: about the same as the county. In Tuscaloosa, 56% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Tuscaloosa County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,165 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $22.40 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Tuscaloosa 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 $970 $18.65 $38,800
1 bedroom $975 $18.75 $39,000
2 bedrooms $1,165 $22.40 $46,600
3 bedrooms $1,470 $28.27 $58,800
4 bedrooms $1,531 $29.44 $61,240

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 Tuscaloosa

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Tuscaloosa has 5 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,120 in 35401 to $1,560 in 35406.

3 of the 5 are above the fair market rent for Tuscaloosa County ($1,165).

  • 35401 $1,120$1,410
  • 35404 $1,180$1,490
  • 35405 $1,280$1,610
  • 35406 $1,560$1,970
  • 35487 $1,120$1,410

4 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa

HUD lists 42 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Tuscaloosa. These are the largest.

  • Hay Court/Hay Court Annex 4420 21st St, Tuscaloosa 35401 217 homes, 216 low-income · Run by Ha Tuscaloosa · Average payment: $317 a month · Average wait: 39 months · Homes at several sites (205) 758-6619
  • Crescent East 4921 2nd St E, Tuscaloosa 35404 182 low-income homes · Run by Ha Tuscaloosa · Average payment: $326 a month · Average wait: 14 months · Homes at several sites (205) 758-6619
  • Clara Verner Towers 101 Hackberry Ln, Tuscaloosa 35401 200 homes, 156 low-income · For older adults (205) 349-1202
  • Forrester Gardens 1350 James I Harrison Jr Pkwy E, Tuscaloosa 35405 152 homes, 145 low-income · 2 bd: 92 · 3 bd: 60 · In service since 2004 · For families
  • Mckenzie Court Redevelopment Phase II 2525 Dupont Ave, Tuscaloosa 35401 144 low-income homes · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 64 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2008 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 59 buildings in Tuscaloosa County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Tuscaloosa

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 are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Tuscaloosa County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother smiles, seated at home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Tuscaloosa

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Tuscaloosa or Tuscaloosa County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa

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

  • City of Tuscaloosa - Office of Community and Neighborhood Services

    2201 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa · 3 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 7 more
    (205) 248-5080

  • Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Inc.

    601 Black Bears Way, Tuscaloosa · 3 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 8 more
    (205) 469-0397

  • Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama

    200 6th Ave SW, Birmingham · 44 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (205) 942-5505

Every agency in Tuscaloosa County All counseling agencies in Alabama

Help in Spanish near Tuscaloosa

2 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 Tuscaloosa

HUD’s record names them for Tuscaloosa or Tuscaloosa County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

One other authority has an office in Tuscaloosa County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Tuscaloosa County

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

Everything about Tuscaloosa County Housing in Alabama

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Tuscaloosa, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa.

All guides
Two girls write and draw together at the living-room table.

Questions

Housing questions about Tuscaloosa

Short answers with the numbers for Tuscaloosa and all of Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa?

The typical home value in Tuscaloosa is $255,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Tuscaloosa County it is $248,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Tuscaloosa?

Typical rent in Tuscaloosa is $1,055 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Tuscaloosa County is $1,165.

What is the FHA loan limit in Tuscaloosa?

Tuscaloosa uses the FHA limit for all of Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa?

The typical homeowner in Tuscaloosa pays $1,210 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.47% of the home’s value; in Tuscaloosa County, the rate is 0.32%.

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

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Tuscaloosa County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. 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).