County FMR · HUD FY2026

Lamar County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lamar County, AL - 34% below the US average.

$636
1-bedroom FMR
$776
2-bedroom FMR
-1.9%
YoY change
-34%
vs US avg

The verdict

Lamar is the 14th 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)
#14
cheapest of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
-18%
vs the state average
$25,440
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.8%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (33.5%); 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 Lamar County, AL. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Lamar County, Alabama is $636 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 $618/mo. This is 34% lower than the national average of $959 and 18% below the Alabama average of $772.

Rent decreased1.9% from FY 2025 ($648), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $25,440/year.

Observed renter burden: 40.7% of the 1,295 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 13,885. 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 LAMAR·COUNTY·AL·AL

Lamar County, AL: $636/mo 1BR · #1 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AL
  • 1BR-FMR $636
  • 2BR-FMR $776
  • RANK-FLOOR #1
  • YOY-FLAT -1.9%
  • VSUS-LOW -34%
  • VS-ST-LOW -18% AL
  • INC-ROOM 16%
  • POP-SMALL 14K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Jefferson County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $572–$700
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($519 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $716 · US avg: $893
$618/mo
↓ 4.2% YoY -14% vs state -31% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $772 · US avg: $959
$636/mo
↓ 1.9% YoY -18% vs state -34% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $936 · US avg: $1,175
$776/mo
↑ 0.5% YoY -17% vs state -34% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,206 · US avg: $1,525
$1,024/mo
↓ 5.9% YoY -15% vs state -33% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,381 · US avg: $1,756
$1,040/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY -25% vs state -41% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $645
$618
$-27 (-4.2%)
1 Bedroom $648
$636
$-12 (-1.9%)
2 Bedroom $772
$776
+$4 (+0.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,088
$1,024
$-64 (-5.9%)
4 Bedroom $1,155
$1,040
$-115 (-10.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Lamar County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
15.6%
Affordable
Need $24,720/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
16.1%
Affordable
Need $25,440/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.6%
Affordable
Need $31,040/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.9%
Affordable
Need $40,960/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
26.3%
Affordable
Need $41,600/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%19.6%
Lamar County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $47,447 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Alabama rent burden →

Where Lamar sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$776 higher than 0% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). This entry sits in this band. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Above this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Lamar compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Alabama counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lamar 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), Lamar County (this county) ($636).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $636/mo, most of these Alabama occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation AL Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $113,020 6.8% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $106,330 7.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $71,040 10.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $71,070 10.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $59,850 12.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $53,850 14.2% Affordable
Electricians $52,420 14.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,120 15.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $46,060 16.6% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,690 20.2% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $37,730 20.2% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $29,430 25.9% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $29,120 26.2% Affordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $23,490 32.5% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $22,790 33.5% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Alabama) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lamar County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lamar (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 18.2% overall, from $538 to $636. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 17.5% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$500$550$600$650$700$750 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $636
Lamar County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓1.9% $618 $636 $776
FY 2025 ↓10.0% $645 $648 $772
FY 2024 ↑17.5% $716 $720 $857
FY 2023 ↑4.1% $560 $613 $740
FY 2022 ↑8.1% $530 $589 $705
FY 2021 ↑1.3% $479 $545 $634
FY 2020 $474 $538 $612
Total change (6yr): +18.2%
Annualized: +2.8%/yr
1 BR: $538 → $636

Where Lamar County Ranks in Alabama

Lamar 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 #14 of 67 counties in Alabama. Nearest by rank: Covington County ($776), Crenshaw County ($776), Dale County ($776), DeKalb County ($776), Escambia County ($776), Fayette County ($776), Franklin County ($776), Jackson County ($776), Lamar County (this county) ($776), Marion County ($776), Marshall County ($776), Monroe County ($776), Pickens County ($776), Winston County ($776), Choctaw County ($778), Randolph County ($778), Marengo County ($783).

Covington County
2 BR: $776/mo
Crenshaw County
2 BR: $776/mo
Dale County
2 BR: $776/mo
DeKalb County
2 BR: $776/mo
Escambia County
2 BR: $776/mo
Fayette County
2 BR: $776/mo
Franklin County
2 BR: $776/mo
Jackson County
2 BR: $776/mo
Lamar County (this county)
2 BR: $776/mo
Marion County
2 BR: $776/mo
Marshall County
2 BR: $776/mo
Monroe County
2 BR: $776/mo
Pickens County
2 BR: $776/mo
Winston County
2 BR: $776/mo
Choctaw County
2 BR: $778/mo
Randolph County
2 BR: $778/mo
Marengo County
2 BR: $783/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lamar 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).

St. Landry Parish
LA · 2 BR $834/mo
Vermilion Parish
LA · 2 BR $834/mo
Washington Parish
LA · 2 BR $834/mo
Evangeline Parish
LA · 2 BR $834/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside AL).

Crane County
TX · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $980/mo
Aitkin County
MN · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Lake County
IL · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $1,781/mo
Mayes County
OK · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $937/mo

Nearby Counties in Alabama

Largest counties by population in Alabama

Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Alabama.

Jefferson County
1 BR: $1,155/mo Pop: 672,265
Mobile County
1 BR: $919/mo Pop: 413,878
Madison County
1 BR: $1,136/mo Pop: 389,781
Baldwin County
1 BR: $1,200/mo Pop: 233,420
Tuscaloosa County
1 BR: $972/mo Pop: 231,558
Montgomery County
1 BR: $870/mo Pop: 228,132
Shelby County
1 BR: $1,155/mo Pop: 223,916
Lee County
1 BR: $1,077/mo Pop: 175,126
View all counties in Alabama →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Lamar County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lamar County is $636 per month. A 2-bedroom is $776 and a studio is $618.
How does Lamar County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Lamar County is 34% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $636 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lamar County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lamar County's 2-bedroom FMR of $776 ranks #1 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 Lamar County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $25,440 ($2,120/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lamar County.
Is rent going up or down in Lamar County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lamar County decreased by 1.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $648 to $636.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lamar 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 $636/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lamar County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lamar County went from $538 in FY 2020 to $636 in FY 2026, a total change of +18.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lamar County? ▼
In Lamar County, the FY 2026 FMR of $636/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 Lamar County? ▼
For Lamar County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($636/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.