Rent Trends / AL
Rent Trends in Alabama: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 85 cities in Alabama. The average across tracked cities is $1,509/month in 2026, up from $801 in 2015 (+88.4%). That sits $453 below (-23.1% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (June 2026)
What the Alabama rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in Alabama from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside Alabama and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Alabama has risen from about $1,286 to $1,509 (+17.3%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +2.3% ($1,475 → $1,509).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Huntsville (+90.1%, $694 → $1,319). 6 of 85 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in Alabama
Lowest 2026 rents
- Talladega — $750
- Gadsden — $828
- Jacksonville — $858
- Sylacauga — $920
- Sheffield — $936
Highest 2026 rents
- Mountain Brook — $2,540
- Orange Beach — $2,533
- Irondale — $2,280
- Chelsea — $2,169
- Mc Calla — $2,125
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All Alabama cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile | $705 | $725 | $750 | $778 | $816 | $836 | $875 | $1,005 | $1,099 | $1,184 | $1,211 | $1,293 | +83.4% | |
| Birmingham | $876 | $891 | $909 | $928 | $970 | $1,010 | $1,077 | $1,182 | $1,244 | $1,290 | $1,329 | $1,360 | +55.3% | |
| Huntsville | $694 | $708 | $723 | $757 | $808 | $894 | $1,020 | $1,190 | $1,242 | $1,278 | $1,276 | $1,319 | +90.1% | |
| Montgomery | $843 | $842 | $856 | $871 | $883 | $915 | $971 | $1,095 | $1,145 | $1,205 | $1,274 | $1,347 | +59.8% | |
| Tuscaloosa | — | — | $890 | $920 | $928 | $965 | $1,008 | $1,104 | $1,169 | $1,246 | $1,313 | $1,396 | +56.9% | |
| Hoover | — | — | $864 | $896 | $939 | $984 | $1,035 | $1,204 | $1,215 | $1,236 | $1,299 | $1,358 | +57.2% | |
| Dothan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,080 | $1,133 | $1,191 | $1,264 | +17.0% | |
| Madison | $854 | $865 | $882 | $945 | $998 | $1,098 | $1,210 | $1,351 | $1,389 | $1,417 | $1,401 | $1,437 | +68.3% | |
| Auburn | — | — | — | — | $1,147 | $1,194 | $1,206 | $1,315 | $1,416 | $1,518 | $1,655 | $1,755 | +53.0% | |
| Decatur | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $954 | $1,007 | $1,037 | $1,093 | +14.6% | |
| Phenix City | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,177 | $1,204 | $1,277 | $1,392 | +18.3% | |
| Florence | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,098 | $1,186 | $1,219 | +11.0% | |
| Athens | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,290 | $1,402 | $1,417 | $1,470 | +14.0% | |
| Prattville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,377 | $1,465 | $1,566 | $1,655 | $1,767 | +28.3% | |
| Northport | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,534 | $1,679 | +9.5% | |
| Opelika | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,352 | $1,475 | +9.1% | |
| Bessemer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,148 | $1,191 | $1,272 | $1,364 | $1,429 | +24.5% | |
| Gadsden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $828 | +0.0% | |
| Cullman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,432 | $1,539 | +7.5% | |
| Enterprise | $833 | $838 | $860 | $869 | $909 | $938 | $1,059 | $1,166 | $1,264 | $1,331 | $1,395 | $1,456 | +74.8% | |
| Foley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,652 | $1,627 | $1,710 | +3.5% | |
| Fairhope | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,784 | $1,875 | $1,921 | $2,073 | +16.2% | |
| Vestavia Hills | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,807 | $1,908 | $2,049 | +13.4% | |
| Jasper | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,340 | $1,341 | $1,276 | -4.8% | |
| Anniston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $986 | +0.0% | |
| Wetumpka | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,583 | +0.0% | |
| Alabaster | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,595 | $1,660 | $1,730 | $1,881 | +17.9% | |
| Daphne | — | — | $946 | $991 | $1,040 | $1,075 | $1,107 | $1,340 | $1,444 | $1,428 | $1,464 | $1,552 | +64.1% | |
| Trussville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,428 | $1,531 | +7.2% | |
| Harvest | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,762 | $1,843 | +4.6% | |
| Talladega | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $750 | +0.0% | |
| Pell City | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,308 | +0.0% | |
| Homewood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,417 | $1,447 | +2.1% | |
| Sylacauga | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $920 | +0.0% | |
| Helena | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,944 | +0.0% | |
| Mountain Brook | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,540 | +0.0% | |
| Theodore | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,499 | +0.0% | |
| Semmes | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,500 | +0.0% | |
| Jacksonville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $811 | $858 | +5.8% | |
| Mc Calla | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,125 | +0.0% | |
| Tuscumbia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $967 | +0.0% | |
| Bay Minette | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,695 | +0.0% | |
| Clanton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,322 | +0.0% | |
| Pelham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,753 | +0.0% | |
| Guntersville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,374 | +0.0% | |
| Oxford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,161 | +0.0% | |
| Muscle Shoals | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,379 | +0.0% | |
| Calera | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,417 | $1,450 | $1,514 | $1,610 | $1,738 | +22.7% | |
| Owens Cross Roads | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,690 | $1,714 | $1,787 | +5.7% | |
| Center Point | — | — | $810 | $858 | $883 | $905 | $942 | $1,044 | $1,119 | $1,202 | $1,271 | $1,332 | +64.4% | |
| Gulf Shores | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,546 | $1,570 | $1,751 | +13.3% | |
| Toney | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,803 | +0.0% | |
| Spanish Fort | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,530 | $1,492 | $1,542 | $1,632 | +6.7% | |
| Millbrook | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,221 | $1,438 | +17.8% | |
| Chelsea | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,898 | $1,993 | $2,169 | +14.3% | |
| Troy | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,038 | +0.0% | |
| Pike Road | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,840 | $1,941 | +5.5% | |
| Hazel Green | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,633 | +0.0% | |
| Saraland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,508 | +0.0% | |
| Moody | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,672 | $1,874 | +12.1% | |
| Gardendale | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,706 | +0.0% | |
| Hueytown | — | — | — | — | — | — | $909 | $977 | $1,037 | $1,136 | $1,168 | $1,211 | +33.2% | |
| Hanceville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,095 | +0.0% | |
| Leeds | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,662 | +0.0% | |
| New Market | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,814 | +0.0% | |
| Odenville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,615 | +0.0% | |
| Fairfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,130 | +0.0% | |
| Pleasant Grove | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,528 | +0.0% | |
| Sheffield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $936 | +0.0% | |
| Jemison | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,695 | +0.0% | |
| Lincoln | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,503 | +0.0% | |
| Irondale | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,924 | $2,161 | $2,280 | +18.5% | |
| Fultondale | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,463 | +0.0% | |
| Fort Mitchell | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,025 | +0.0% | |
| Meridianville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,747 | $1,698 | $1,800 | +3.0% | |
| Lake Purdy | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,262 | +0.0% | |
| Clay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,686 | +0.0% | |
| Orange Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,533 | +0.0% | |
| Chickasaw | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $948 | +0.0% | |
| Tarrant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,027 | +0.0% | |
| Adamsville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,228 | +0.0% | |
| Midfield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,050 | +0.0% | |
| Grayson Valley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,332 | +0.0% | |
| Margaret | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,723 | +0.0% | |
| Midland City | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,475 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — Alabama rent
Is Alabama cheap to rent in 2026?
Yes — relative to the national market. The average rent across 85 tracked Alabama cities is about $1,509/month, which is $453 below (-23.1% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. That is a city-average in our sample, not a single statewide ZORI print, but it is a clear signal that Alabama screens cheaper than the U.S. typical $1,962.
What city in Alabama has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Talladega is the lowest at about $750/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Gadsden ($828), Jacksonville ($858), Sylacauga ($920).
What city in Alabama has the most expensive rent?
Mountain Brook leads our sample at about $2,540/month in 2026, followed by Orange Beach ($2,533) and Irondale ($2,280).
How much have rents in Alabama changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $801 in 2015 to $1,509 in 2026 (+88.4%). 6 of 85 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Huntsville (+90.1%).
Are rents in Alabama still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Alabama cities went from about $1,475 to $1,509 (+2.3%). Since 2023 ($1,286), that is +17.3%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.
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