County FMR · HUD FY2026
Wilcox County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Wilcox County, AL - 32% below the US average.
- $656
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $843
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -9.9%
- YoY change
- -32%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Wilcox is the 29th cheapest of 67 counties in Alabama by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has fallen 9.9% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #29
- cheapest of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
- -15%
- vs the state average
- $26,240
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -9.9%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (34.5%); 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 Wilcox County, AL. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Wilcox County, Alabama is $656 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $843/mo and a studio is $632/mo. This is 32% lower than the national average of $959 and 15% below the Alabama average of $772.
Rent decreased9.9% from FY 2025 ($728), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $26,240/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 10,441. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-4.3%, Census ACS). That's slower than Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Wilcox County
The Wilcox County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Alabama's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 32% below the US average of $959 and 15% lower than the Alabama state average of $772. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$728 in FY 2025 to $656 in FY 2026 - a change of -9.9%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $656, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $26,240 per year (about $2,187/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $843 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 10,441 and a county median household income of $42,236, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $702 | $632 | $-70 (-10.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $728 | $656 | $-72 (-9.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $936 | $843 | $-93 (-9.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,132 | $1,079 | $-53 (-4.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,401 | $1,261 | $-140 (-10.0%) |
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 Wilcox 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.
Wilcox County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Wilcox sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$843 higher than 3% 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 Wilcox 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
- Wilcox
Wilcox County
$656 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Wilcox 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), Wilcox County (this county) ($656).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $656/mo compares to Alabama salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | AL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,020 | 7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $106,330 | 7.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $71,040 | 11.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $71,070 | 11.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,850 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $53,850 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $52,420 | 15% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,120 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,060 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,690 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,730 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,430 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,120 | 27% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,490 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $22,790 | 34.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Wilcox County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Wilcox (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 21.9% overall, from $538 to $656. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 20.5% (FY 2022), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓9.9% | $632 | $656 | $843 |
| FY 2025 ↓9.9% | $702 | $728 | $936 |
| FY 2024 ↑17.8% | $779 | $808 | $1,040 |
| FY 2023 ↑16.9% | $675 | $686 | $892 |
| FY 2022 ↑20.5% | $573 | $587 | $763 |
| FY 2021 ↓9.5% | $479 | $487 | $634 |
| FY 2020 | $474 | $538 | $612 |
Where Wilcox County Ranks in Alabama
Wilcox 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 #29 of 67 counties in Alabama. Nearest by rank: Randolph County ($778), Marengo County ($783), Clarke County ($791), Perry County ($803), Talladega County ($814), Sumter County ($827), Dallas County ($836), Butler County ($837), Wilcox County (this county) ($843), Cherokee County ($844), Tallapoosa County ($857), Cleburne County ($867), Henry County ($878), Cullman County ($879), Walker County ($886), Pike County ($912), Etowah County ($927).
Nearby Counties in Alabama
Largest counties by population in Alabama
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Wilcox County? ▼
How does Wilcox County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Wilcox County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Wilcox County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Wilcox County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Wilcox County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Wilcox County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Wilcox County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Wilcox'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 $656 implies about $26,240/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 Wilcox 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.