County FMR · HUD FY2026

Shelby County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Shelby County, AL - 20% above the US average.

$1,155
1-bedroom FMR
$1,266
2-bedroom FMR
+1.0%
YoY change
+20%
vs US avg

The verdict

Shelby is the 5th most expensive of 67 counties in Alabama by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #849 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#849
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
most expensive of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
+50%
vs the state average
$46,200
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (60.8%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Shelby County, AL. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Shelby County, Alabama at $1,155 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,266/mo and a studio is $1,024/mo. This is 20% higher than the national average of $959 and 50% above the Alabama average of $772.

Rent increased1.0% from FY 2025 ($1,144), roughly tracking inflation. A household needs about $46,200/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 44.7% of the 16,007 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: 223,916. Population grew 7.4% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area SHELBY·COUNTY·AL·AL

Shelby County, AL: $1,155/mo 1BR · #849 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AL
  • 1BR-FMR $1,155
  • 2BR-FMR $1,266
  • RANK-MID #849
  • YOY-FLAT +1.0%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +20%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +50% AL
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-MID 224K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Jefferson County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,040–$1,271
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($0 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $716 · US avg: $893
$1,024/mo
↑ 2.6% YoY +43% vs state +15% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $772 · US avg: $959
$1,155/mo
↑ 1.0% YoY +50% vs state +20% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $936 · US avg: $1,175
$1,266/mo
↓ 0.1% YoY +35% vs state +8% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,206 · US avg: $1,525
$1,583/mo
↑ 0.0% YoY +31% vs state +4% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,381 · US avg: $1,756
$1,801/mo
↑ 0.6% YoY +30% vs state +3% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $998
$1,024
+$26 (+2.6%)
1 Bedroom $1,144
$1,155
+$11 (+1.0%)
2 Bedroom $1,267
$1,266
$-1 (-0.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,583
$1,583
$0 (0.0%)
4 Bedroom $1,791
$1,801
+$10 (+0.6%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
13.1%
Affordable
Need $40,960/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.8%
Affordable
Need $46,200/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
16.2%
Affordable
Need $50,640/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
20.3%
Affordable
Need $63,320/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
23.1%
Affordable
Need $72,040/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%16.2%
Shelby County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $93,543 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Alabama rent burden →

Where Shelby sits among every US county

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

$1,266 Top 27% higher than 73% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Shelby compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Alabama counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Shelby is highlighted. Nearby Alabama counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Baldwin County ($1,200), Shelby County (this county) ($1,155), Jefferson County ($1,155), Madison County ($1,136), Tuscaloosa County ($972), Mobile County ($919), Montgomery County ($870).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,155/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Alabama BLS wages?

Occupation AL Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $113,020 12.3% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $106,330 13% Affordable
Registered Nurses $71,040 19.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $71,070 19.5% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $59,850 23.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $53,850 25.7% Affordable
Electricians $52,420 26.4% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,120 27.7% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $46,060 30.1% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $37,730 36.7% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $37,690 36.8% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $29,430 47.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $29,120 47.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $23,490 59% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $22,790 60.8% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Alabama) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Shelby (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.1% overall, from $861 to $1,155. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 17.7% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,155
Shelby County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑1.0% $1,024 $1,155 $1,266
FY 2025 ↑3.2% $998 $1,144 $1,267
FY 2024 ↑17.7% $983 $1,109 $1,245
FY 2023 ↑14.9% $866 $942 $1,075
FY 2022 ↓5.9% $765 $820 $943
FY 2021 ↑1.2% $817 $871 $1,002
FY 2020 $804 $861 $986
Total change (6yr): +34.1%
Annualized: +5.0%/yr
1 BR: $861 → $1,155

Part of the Birmingham, AL Metro Area

Shelby County is a central county of the Birmingham, AL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 6 other metro-area counties.

Shelby County ranks #5 of 7 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Jefferson County ($1,155), St. Clair County ($1,155), Blount County ($1,155), Bibb County ($1,155), Shelby County (this county) ($1,155), Chilton County ($739), Walker County ($724).

Jefferson County
1 BR: $1,155/mo
St. Clair County
1 BR: $1,155/mo
Blount County
1 BR: $1,155/mo
Bibb County
1 BR: $1,155/mo
Shelby County (this county)
1 BR: $1,155/mo
Chilton County
1 BR: $739/mo
Walker County
1 BR: $724/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Shelby 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).

Clallam County
WA · 2 BR $1,266/mo
Somerset County
ME · 2 BR $1,266/mo
Allegan County
MI · 2 BR $1,267/mo
Coos County
OR · 2 BR $1,265/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Major County
OK · 16.2% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Putnam County
WV · 16.2% of income · 2 BR $1,054/mo
Wyandot County
OH · 16.2% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Kanabec County
MN · 16.2% of income · 2 BR $973/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
Lee County
1 BR: $1,077/mo Pop: 175,126
Morgan County
1 BR: $776/mo Pop: 123,102
View all counties in Alabama →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Shelby County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Shelby County is $1,155 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,266 and a studio is $1,024.
How does Shelby County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Shelby County is 20% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,155 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Shelby County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Shelby County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,266 ranks #849 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Shelby County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $46,200 ($3,850/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Shelby County.
Is rent going up or down in Shelby County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Shelby County increased by 1.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,144 to $1,155.
Which jobs can afford rent in Shelby 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 $1,155/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Shelby County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Shelby County went from $861 in FY 2020 to $1,155 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Shelby County? ▼
In Shelby County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,155/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 Shelby County? ▼
For Shelby County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,155/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.