Rents are 5% below what Birmingham's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $1,305 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: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Birmingham usually run 0.6% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in August, about $16 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Birmingham is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Birmingham changed +3.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 48 Alabama cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.3%.
Rent in Birmingham is 33.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($46,051) is $1,151 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,042); a 1-bedroom is $1,186.
The priciest of 11 ZIP codes in Birmingham, 35243 ($1,661/mo), costs 1.6 times the cheapest, 35205 ($1,067/mo).
Midfield, 9 miles away, rents for 18% less ($1,075/mo), about $2,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Birmingham. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Birmingham, AL is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 31.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Birmingham, AL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Birmingham, AL has shifted from $1,027 to $1,305, up 27.1% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $39,403 to $46,051 across the same window, up 16.9% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Birmingham, AL losing about 4,061 residents over the five-year window, down 2.0% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 28.8% to 31.1% across the same window. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Birmingham, AL look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Birmingham
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Can you afford rent in Birmingham on your salary?
At $1,305/mo, how Birmingham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Birmingham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Birmingham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Birmingham
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Birmingham is $1,305/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,042/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,323/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,186/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,657/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($46,051/yr), Birmingham ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Birmingham?
At $1,305/mo, rent takes ~34% of Birmingham's median household income ($46,051/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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