Rents are 6% above what Bessemer's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,429 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Bessemer, AL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 15.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bessemer, AL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Bessemer, AL has shifted from $1,104 to $1,429, up 29.4% since 2022. Median household income climbed from $32,416 to $39,613 between 2021 and 2024, a 22.2% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Bessemer, AL losing about 771 residents over the five-year window, down 2.9% on net. The renter share has eased from 46.8% to 42.6%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 13.6% to 15.6% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Bessemer, AL reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Bessemer on your salary?
At $1,429/mo, how Bessemer rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bessemer rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bessemer. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bessemer
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Bessemer is $1,429/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $890/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,130/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,010/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,420/mo.
At 43% of local median household income ($39,613/yr), Bessemer ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 16.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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What percentage of Bessemer residents rent vs. own?
How does Bessemer rent compare to the national average?
At $1,429/mo, rent takes ~43% of Bessemer's median household income ($39,613/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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