County FMR · HUD FY2026
Houston County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Houston 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
Houston is the 28th 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)
- #28
- 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 Houston County, AL. Verify with HUD →
Houston County, Alabama carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $762 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $950/mo and a studio is $757/mo. That's 21% below the national benchmark 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.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 107,040. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Houston 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, Houston County's 2-bedroom of $950 ranks #819 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 21% under the US average of $959 and 1% below Alabama's $772. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $722 (FY 2025) to $762 (FY 2026), a +5.5% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $762 needs $30,480/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $57,531, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $950 is the next step up.
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%) |
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 Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston 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
- Houston
Houston County
$762 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Houston 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), Houston 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 Houston County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Houston (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
Houston County is a central county of the Dothan, AL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Houston County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Geneva County ($762), Houston County (this county) ($762), Henry County ($669).
Nearby Counties in Alabama
Largest counties by population in Alabama
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Houston County? ▼
How does Houston County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Houston County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Houston County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Houston County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Houston County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Houston County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Houston County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Houston County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Houston'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 $762 implies about $30,480/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 Houston 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.