Rents are 15% below what Huntsville'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 $1,335 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 Huntsville usually run 0.6% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in July, about $17 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Huntsville is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Huntsville changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 48 Alabama cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.3%.
Rent in Huntsville is 43.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($74,714) is $1,868 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,633); a 4-bedroom is $1,987.
The priciest of 9 ZIP codes in Huntsville, 35803 ($1,620/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 35816 ($951/mo).
Decatur, 24 miles away, rents for 22% less ($1,042/mo), about $3,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Huntsville. 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
Huntsville, AL is majority owner-occupied, 47.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Huntsville, AL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Huntsville, AL has shifted from $1,082 to $1,335, up 23.4% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Huntsville, AL now reports about $74,714, up from $60,959 in 2021. Census counts show Huntsville, AL adding about 12,710 residents over the five-year window, up 6.1% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 44.8% to 47.2% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Huntsville, AL reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Huntsville on your salary?
At $1,335/mo, how Huntsville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Huntsville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Huntsville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Huntsville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Huntsville is $1,335/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $936/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,266/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,086/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,633/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($74,714/yr), Huntsville ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Huntsville rent compare to other cities in Alabama?
At $1,335/mo, rent takes ~21% of Huntsville's median household income ($74,714/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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