Rents are right about where Tuscaloosa's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $1,701 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
February. Asking rents in Tuscaloosa usually run 0.7% below trend in February and 0.6% above it in October, about $22 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Tuscaloosa is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in September 2016.
Rent in Tuscaloosa changed +4.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 48 Alabama cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.3%.
Rent in Tuscaloosa is 44.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($51,464) is $1,287 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,213); a 3-bedroom is $1,545.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Tuscaloosa, 35401 ($2,141/mo), costs 1.6 times the cheapest, 35404 ($1,323/mo).
Northport, 4 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,489/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tuscaloosa. 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
Tuscaloosa, AL is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 39.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Tuscaloosa, AL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Tuscaloosa, AL has shifted from $1,220 to $1,701, up 39.4% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Tuscaloosa, AL now reports about $51,464, up from $44,880 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Tuscaloosa, AL adding about 11,786 residents over the five-year window, up 11.9% on net. The renter share has risen from 53.5% to 57.1%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Tuscaloosa, AL reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Tuscaloosa on your salary?
At $1,701/mo, how Tuscaloosa rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Tuscaloosa rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Tuscaloosa. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Tuscaloosa
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Tuscaloosa is $1,701/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $978/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,213/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $983/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,545/mo.
At 40% of local median household income ($51,464/yr), Tuscaloosa ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,701/mo, rent takes ~40% of Tuscaloosa's median household income ($51,464/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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