State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Alabama

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Alabama is $772/mo - 19% below the US average.

$772
Avg 1BR FMR
67
Counties
12
Metro areas

The verdict

Alabama's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $936 - 20% below the US average, the 50th lowest of 51 states.

#50
most affordable of 51 states (2BR)
-20%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$37,440
income to afford it (30% rule)
103%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 67 counties and 12 metro areas in AL. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Alabama

Across Alabama's 67 counties and 12 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents average $716 for a studio, $772 for a 1-bedroom, $936 for a 2-bedroom, $1,206 for a 3-bedroom, and $1,381 for a 4-bedroom. FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so the numbers above are the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside AL, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, Alabama's average 1-bedroom FMR of $772 is 19% below the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Clay County at $591, while the most expensive is in Baldwin County at $1,200, a spread of roughly 103% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $30,880 per year (about $2,573/month) to afford Alabama's average 1-bedroom at $772. The ratio of FMR to local wages determines how many households are rent-burdened. Pair these rent figures with Alabama's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Alabama sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$936 Top 98% higher than 2% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). Above this entry. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. AL $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. 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

State Average vs National Average

Studio
$716
-20% vs US avg
1 BR
$772
-19% vs US avg
2 BR
$936
-20% vs US avg
3 BR
$1,206
-21% vs US avg
4 BR
$1,381
-21% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Alabama by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 10 of 67 AL counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside AL, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $591 in Clay County to $1,200 in Baldwin County.

Source HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data As of FY2026

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in Alabama

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL MSA $1,094
$1,200
$1,345$1,692$2,171
2 Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area $1,024
$1,155
$1,266$1,583$1,801
3 Huntsville, AL MSA $1,030
$1,136
$1,310$1,690$2,109
4 Auburn-Opelika, AL HUD Metro FMR Area $847
$1,077
$1,181$1,494$1,699
5 Mobile, AL MSA $854
$919
$1,083$1,414$1,445
6 Montgomery, AL MSA $860
$870
$1,016$1,304$1,537
7 Greene County, AL HUD Metro FMR Area $863
$869
$1,140$1,367$1,509
8 Gadsden, AL MSA $639
$792
$927$1,124$1,304
9 Decatur, AL MSA $755
$776
$961$1,262$1,550
10 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA $698
$775
$1,000$1,242$1,409
11 Dothan, AL HUD Metro FMR Area $757
$762
$950$1,288$1,428
12 Anniston-Oxford, AL MSA $753
$757
$962$1,300$1,361

Counties in Alabama, ranked by rent (67)

All 67 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Baldwin County $1,094
$1,200
$1,345$1,692$2,171
2 Bibb County $1,024
$1,155
$1,266$1,583$1,801
3 Blount County $1,024
$1,155
$1,266$1,583$1,801
4 Jefferson County $1,024
$1,155
$1,266$1,583$1,801
5 Shelby County $1,024
$1,155
$1,266$1,583$1,801
6 St. Clair County $1,024
$1,155
$1,266$1,583$1,801
7 Limestone County $1,030
$1,136
$1,310$1,690$2,109
8 Madison County $1,030
$1,136
$1,310$1,690$2,109
9 Lee County $847
$1,077
$1,181$1,494$1,699
10 Hale County $966
$972
$1,169$1,490$1,548
11 Tuscaloosa County $966
$972
$1,169$1,490$1,548
12 Russell County $895
$939
$1,088$1,445$1,703
13 Mobile County $854
$919
$1,083$1,414$1,445
14 Autauga County $860
$870
$1,016$1,304$1,537
15 Elmore County $860
$870
$1,016$1,304$1,537
16 Lowndes County $860
$870
$1,016$1,304$1,537
17 Montgomery County $860
$870
$1,016$1,304$1,537
18 Greene County $863
$869
$1,140$1,367$1,509
19 Washington County $729
$818
$983$1,292$1,314
20 Etowah County $639
$792
$927$1,124$1,304
21 Lawrence County $755
$776
$961$1,262$1,550
22 Morgan County $755
$776
$961$1,262$1,550
23 Colbert County $698
$775
$1,000$1,242$1,409
24 Lauderdale County $698
$775
$1,000$1,242$1,409
25 Chambers County $691
$770
$1,002$1,265$1,327
26 Geneva County $757
$762
$950$1,288$1,428
27 Houston County $757
$762
$950$1,288$1,428
28 Macon County $720
$758
$995$1,222$1,501
29 Calhoun County $753
$757
$962$1,300$1,361
30 Chilton County $734
$739
$970$1,274$1,448
31 Walker County $644
$724
$886$1,232$1,481
32 Coffee County $693
$711
$933$1,298$1,383
33 Bullock County $576
$708
$776$930$1,302
34 Franklin County $576
$704
$776$976$1,071
35 Pike County $677
$695
$912$1,093$1,208
36 Barbour County $576
$693
$776$1,017$1,068
37 Marengo County $582
$693
$783$1,018$1,187
38 Dale County $603
$690
$776$1,079$1,302
39 Cleburne County $644
$687
$867$1,082$1,148
40 Cherokee County $627
$682
$844$1,012$1,259
41 Talladega County $561
$682
$814$1,107$1,112
42 Escambia County $576
$675
$776$972$1,203
43 Fayette County $576
$671
$776$1,079$1,157
44 Cullman County $666
$670
$879$1,137$1,381
45 Henry County $665
$669
$878$1,078$1,217
46 Tallapoosa County $637
$663
$857$1,030$1,216
47 Wilcox County $632
$656
$843$1,079$1,261
48 Jackson County $576
$643
$776$1,004$1,234
49 Sumter County $619
$642
$827$1,107$1,193
50 Butler County $622
$638
$837$1,004$1,139
51 Dallas County $620
$637
$836$1,103$1,107
52 Lamar County $618
$636
$776$1,024$1,040
53 Perry County $596
$636
$803$963$1,198
54 Randolph County $536
$634
$778$980$1,126
55 Winston County $576
$631
$776$1,070$1,150
56 Monroe County $576
$619
$776$1,079$1,254
57 Choctaw County $578
$616
$778$1,024$1,179
58 Conecuh County $576
$615
$776$1,079$1,157
59 Coosa County $576
$615
$776$1,079$1,157
60 Clarke County $588
$603
$791$1,034$1,261
61 Clay County $576
$591
$776$1,024$1,027
62 Covington County $576
$591
$776$999$1,302
63 Crenshaw County $588
$591
$776$930$1,027
64 DeKalb County $576
$591
$776$992$1,302
65 Marion County $535
$591
$776$1,039$1,302
66 Marshall County $588
$591
$776$1,069$1,073
67 Pickens County $588
$591
$776$994$1,290

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Alabama? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Alabama is $772 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $936.
How does Alabama rent compare to the national average? ▼
Alabama rents are 19% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $772 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Alabama? ▼
The most affordable county is Clay County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $591. The most expensive is Baldwin County at $1,200.
What income do I need to afford rent in Alabama? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $30,880/year ($2,573/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Alabama.

Explore Alabama rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov).