County FMR · HUD FY2026
Dale County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Dale County, AL - 28% below the US average.
- $690
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $776
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.6%
- YoY change
- -28%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Dale is the 8th cheapest of 67 counties in Alabama by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #8
- cheapest of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
- -11%
- vs the state average
- $27,600
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (36.3%); 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 Dale County, AL. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Dale County, Alabama is $690 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $776/mo and a studio is $603/mo. This is 28% lower than the national average of $959 and 11% below the Alabama average of $772.
Rent increased1.6% from FY 2025 ($679), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $27,600/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 49,455. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Dale County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Dale County's 2-bedroom of $776 ranks #1 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 28% under the US average of $959 and 11% below Alabama's $772. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $679 (FY 2025) to $690 (FY 2026), a +1.6% move that keeps the below-average posture intact.
A 1-bedroom at $690 needs $27,600/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $53,955, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $776 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $669 | $603 | $-66 (-9.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $679 | $690 | +$11 (+1.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $772 | $776 | +$4 (+0.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,088 | $1,079 | $-9 (-0.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,309 | $1,302 | $-7 (-0.5%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Dale 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 Dale sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$776 higher than 0% 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 Dale 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
- Dale
Dale County
$690 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Dale 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), Dale County (this county) ($690).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $690/mo, most of these Alabama occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | AL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,020 | 7.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $106,330 | 7.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $71,040 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $71,070 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,850 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $53,850 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $52,420 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,120 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,060 | 18% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,730 | 21.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,690 | 22% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,430 | 28.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,120 | 28.4% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,490 | 35.2% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $22,790 | 36.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Dale County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Dale (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 37.7% overall, from $501 to $690. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 18.6% (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 ↑1.6% | $603 | $690 | $776 |
| FY 2025 ↓9.9% | $669 | $679 | $772 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.6% | $743 | $754 | $857 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.2% | $633 | $636 | $740 |
| FY 2022 ↑13.9% | $595 | $599 | $705 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.0% | $523 | $526 | $634 |
| FY 2020 | $498 | $501 | $612 |
Part of the Ozark, AL Micro Area
Dale County is a central county of the Ozark, AL micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Alabama
Largest counties by population in Alabama
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Dale County? ▼
How does Dale County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Dale County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Dale County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Dale County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Dale County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Dale County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Dale County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Dale County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Dale's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $690 implies about $27,600/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Dale can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
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.