County FMR · HUD FY2026
Clarke County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Clarke County, AL - 37% below the US average.
- $603
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $791
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +0.5%
- YoY change
- -37%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Clarke is the 23rd cheapest of 67 counties in Alabama by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #32 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #32
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #23
- cheapest of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $24,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.4%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (31.8%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Clarke County, AL. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Clarke County, Alabama at $603 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $791/mo and a studio is $588/mo. This is 37% lower than the national average of $959 and 22% below the Alabama average of $772.
Rent increased0.5% from FY 2025 ($600), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $24,120/year.
Observed renter burden: 34.9% of the 2,458 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.1% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 23,058. Population declined 6.5% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CLARKE·COUNTY·AL·AL
Clarke County, AL: $603/mo 1BR · #32 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA AL
- 1BR-FMR $603
- 2BR-FMR $791
- RANK-LOW #32
- YOY-FLAT +0.5%
- VSUS-LOW -37%
- VS-ST-LOW -22% AL
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-SMALL 23K
- PHOTO-NEAR Jefferson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $543–$663
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($552 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $578 | $588 | +$10 (+1.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $600 | $603 | +$3 (+0.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $772 | $791 | +$19 (+2.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,080 | $1,034 | $-46 (-4.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,309 | $1,261 | $-48 (-3.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Clarke County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Clarke sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$791 higher than 1% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Clarke compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Alabama counties
- Baldwin
Baldwin County
$1,200 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,155 1BR FMR / mo
- Madison
Madison County
$1,136 1BR FMR / mo
- Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa County
$972 1BR FMR / mo
- Mobile
Mobile County
$919 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$870 1BR FMR / mo
- Clarke
Clarke County
$603 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Clarke is highlighted. Nearby Alabama counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Baldwin County ($1,200), Jefferson County ($1,155), Madison County ($1,136), Tuscaloosa County ($972), Mobile County ($919), Montgomery County ($870), Clarke County (this county) ($603).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $603/mo, most of these Alabama occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | AL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,020 | 6.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $106,330 | 6.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $71,040 | 10.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $71,070 | 10.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,850 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $53,850 | 13.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $52,420 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,120 | 14.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,060 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,690 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,730 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,430 | 24.6% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,120 | 24.8% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,490 | 30.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $22,790 | 31.8% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Clarke County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Clarke (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 18.9% overall, from $507 to $603. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 16.2% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑0.5% | $588 | $603 | $791 |
| FY 2025 ↓9.9% | $578 | $600 | $772 |
| FY 2024 ↑16.2% | $642 | $666 | $857 |
| FY 2023 ↑4.2% | $560 | $573 | $740 |
| FY 2022 ↑11.6% | $530 | $550 | $705 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.8% | $479 | $493 | $634 |
| FY 2020 | $474 | $507 | $612 |
Where Clarke County Ranks in Alabama
Clarke County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #23 of 67 counties in Alabama. Nearest by rank: Marion County ($776), Marshall County ($776), Monroe County ($776), Pickens County ($776), Winston County ($776), Choctaw County ($778), Randolph County ($778), Marengo County ($783), Clarke County (this county) ($791), Perry County ($803), Talladega County ($814), Sumter County ($827), Dallas County ($836), Butler County ($837), Wilcox County ($843), Cherokee County ($844), Tallapoosa County ($857).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Clarke County, both outside Alabama so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside AL (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside AL).
Nearby Counties in Alabama
Largest counties by population in Alabama
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Alabama.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Clarke County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Clarke County is $603 per month. A 2-bedroom is $791 and a studio is $588.
How does Clarke County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Clarke County is 37% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $603 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Clarke County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Clarke County's 2-bedroom FMR of $791 ranks #32 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Clarke County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $24,120 ($2,010/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Clarke County.
Is rent going up or down in Clarke County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Clarke County increased by 0.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $600 to $603.
Which jobs can afford rent in Clarke County?
Based on Alabama BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $603/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Clarke County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Clarke County went from $507 in FY 2020 to $603 in FY 2026, a total change of +18.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Clarke County?
In Clarke County, the FY 2026 FMR of $603/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Clarke County?
For Clarke County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($603/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Clarke County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Clarke County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.1% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Clarke's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $603 implies about $24,120/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Alabama counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Jefferson
- See where Clarke ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.