County FMR · HUD FY2026
Geneva County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Geneva County, AL - 21% below the US average.
- $762
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $950
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.5%
- YoY change
- -21%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Geneva is the 29th most expensive of 67 counties in Alabama by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #819 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #819
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #29
- most expensive of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
- -1%
- vs the state average
- $30,480
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (40.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Geneva County, AL. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Geneva County, Alabama at $762 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $950/mo and a studio is $757/mo. This is 21% lower than the national average of $959 and 1% below the Alabama average of $772.
Rent increased5.5% from FY 2025 ($722), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,480/year.
Observed renter burden: 28.9% of the 2,292 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 5.1%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.8% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 26,647. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.9%, Census ACS). That's slower than Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area GENEVA·COUNTY·AL·AL
Geneva County, AL: $762/mo 1BR · #819 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA AL
- 1BR-FMR $762
- 2BR-FMR $950
- RANK-MID #819
- YOY-SURGE +5.5%
- VSUS-BELOW -21%
- VS-ST-NEAR -1% AL
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 27K
- PHOTO-NEAR Jefferson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $686–$838
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($393 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $718 | $757 | +$39 (+5.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $722 | $762 | +$40 (+5.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $896 | $950 | +$54 (+6.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,223 | $1,288 | +$65 (+5.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,384 | $1,428 | +$44 (+3.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Geneva 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 Geneva sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$950 higher than 26% 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 Geneva 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
- Geneva
Geneva County
$762 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Geneva 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), Geneva County (this county) ($762).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $762/mo, most of these Alabama occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | AL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,020 | 8.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $106,330 | 8.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $71,040 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $71,070 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,850 | 15.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $53,850 | 17% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $52,420 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,120 | 18.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,060 | 19.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,730 | 24.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,690 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,430 | 31.1% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,120 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,490 | 38.9% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $22,790 | 40.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Geneva County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Geneva (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 50.6% overall, from $506 to $762. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.8% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.5% | $757 | $762 | $950 |
| FY 2025 ↓2.3% | $718 | $722 | $896 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.8% | $735 | $739 | $904 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.1% | $619 | $622 | $761 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.3% | $561 | $565 | $705 |
| FY 2021 ↑8.1% | $543 | $547 | $706 |
| FY 2020 | $503 | $506 | $666 |
Part of the Dothan, AL Metro Area
Geneva County is a outlying county of the Dothan, AL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Geneva County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Houston County ($762), Geneva County (this county) ($762), Henry County ($669).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Geneva 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 Geneva County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Geneva County is $762 per month. A 2-bedroom is $950 and a studio is $757.
How does Geneva County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Geneva County is 21% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $762 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Geneva County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Geneva County's 2-bedroom FMR of $950 ranks #819 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Geneva County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,480 ($2,540/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Geneva County.
Is rent going up or down in Geneva County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Geneva County increased by 5.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $722 to $762.
Which jobs can afford rent in Geneva 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 $762/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Geneva County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Geneva County went from $506 in FY 2020 to $762 in FY 2026, a total change of +50.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Geneva County?
In Geneva County, the FY 2026 FMR of $762/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 Geneva County?
For Geneva County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($762/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Geneva County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.1%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Geneva County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.8% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Geneva'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 $762 implies about $30,480/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 Geneva 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.