At $1,177/mo, rent takes about 29% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.
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 $1,177 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
30% of the median household income ($48,456) is $1,211 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,160); a 3-bedroom is $1,450.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fairfield. 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
Fairfield, AL is majority owner-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 25.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fairfield, AL has changed in 5 years
On the earnings side, the typical household in Fairfield, AL now reports about $48,456, up from $43,914 in 2021. The population has contracted by 3.8% since 2021, moving from about 10,108 residents to roughly 9,728. Renters now make up 41% of households, compared with 46.8% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 25.4% of adults here, versus 22.3% in 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Fairfield on your salary?
At $1,177/mo, how Fairfield rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fairfield rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fairfield. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fairfield
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fairfield is $1,177/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $910/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,160/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,050/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,450/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($48,456/yr), Fairfield ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Fairfield?
How does Fairfield rent compare to other cities in Alabama?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Fairfield?
At $1,177/mo, rent takes ~29% of Fairfield's median household income ($48,456/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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