Rents are 7% below what Daphne'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 $1,612 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
December. Asking rents in Daphne usually run 1% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in August, about $37 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Daphne is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2016.
Rent in Daphne changed +5.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 48 Alabama cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.3%.
Rent in Daphne is 43.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 15 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($87,250) is $2,181 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,740); a 4-bedroom is $2,220.
Mobile, 18 miles away, rents for 22% less ($1,258/mo), about $4,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Daphne. 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
Daphne, AL is majority owner-occupied, 42.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Daphne, AL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Daphne, AL has shifted from $1,219 to $1,612, up 32.2% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Daphne, AL now reports about $87,250, up from $74,701 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Daphne, AL adding about 2,365 residents over the five-year window, up 8.7% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 40.7% to 42.9% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Daphne, AL reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,612/mo, how Daphne rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Daphne rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Daphne. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Daphne
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Daphne is $1,612/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,090/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,400/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,170/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,740/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($87,250/yr), Daphne ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Daphne rent compare to other cities in Alabama?
At $1,612/mo, rent takes ~22% of Daphne's median household income ($87,250/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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