ZIP Code · AL

ZIP 35816

Part of Huntsville, AL

Pop. 15,939·Madison County·111th most expensive ZIP in Alabama

Median rent (all units)

$951/mo

Year-over-Year

-0.7%

Month-over-Month

-0.8%

vs US Median

-$981

Reported rents

Falling (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 35816 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 35816 · $951

More affordable than 99% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$840

1 BR

$970

2 BR

$1,130

3 BR

$1,450

4 BR+

$1,770

Research median

$1,130/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 35816 is 1% below its high of $961 in March 2026, at $951 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Alabama

Rent in ZIP 35816 changed -0.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 84 Alabama ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($40,242) is $1,006 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($970); a 2-bedroom is $1,130.

Rank in Huntsville

1st cheapest of 9 ZIP codes in Huntsville.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 35816. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$11,412/yr

At $951/mo median

Location

CityHuntsville

StateAL

CountyMadison County

Rent Market Meter

Renter's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are softening (down 0.7% YoY), so renters have negotiating leverage.

Based on rent-price momentum (-0.7% YoY, -0.8% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 35816 (Huntsville, AL) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 25.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

15,939

Median income

$40,242

Median age

27.7

Renters

75.9%

Age distribution

18.6%

43.2%

20.3%

Under 1818.6%

18–3443.2%

35–5420.3%

55–648.1%

65+9.8%

Gender

50.5%

49.5%

Male50.5%

Female49.5%

Race & ethnicity

24%

64%

White24%

Black64%

Hispanic9.4%

Asian1.2%

Other1.3%

Education (25+)

29.6%

33.8%

25.1%

No HS diploma11.6%

HS diploma29.6%

Some college33.8%

Bachelor's+25.1%

Housing tenure

24.1%

75.9%

Owner24.1%

Renter75.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2023 vs 2026

How ZIP 35816 in Huntsville, AL has changed in 5 years

Rent

$880 → $951

up 8.1%

Income

$29,162 → $40,242

up 38.0%

Population

14,440 → 15,939

up 10.4%

Renter share

71.2% → 75.9%

+4.7 pts

Bachelor's+

29.7% → 25.1%

-4.6 pts

Median age

29.1 → 27.7

-1.4 yrs

Five years ago, renters in ZIP 35816 in Huntsville, AL paid around $880 a month. That figure now sits near $951, up 8.1% from the 2023 baseline. Median household income climbed from $29,162 to $40,242 between 2021 and 2024, a 38.0% shift. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show ZIP 35816 in Huntsville, AL adding about 1,499 residents over the five-year window, up 10.4% on net. The renter share has risen from 71.2% to 75.9%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 29.7% to 25.1% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 35816 in Huntsville, AL reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 35816

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 35816

About renting in ZIP 35816

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 35816 covers Huntsville, AL. The median rent here is $951/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $970/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,130/mo.

At 28% of local median household income ($40,242/yr), ZIP 35816 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.7% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 35816?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $38,000/year (about $18/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $951/mo in ZIP 35816. The local median household income is $40,242/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 35816?

Rent in ZIP 35816 has fallen 0.7% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 1% below its high of $961 in March 2026.

How does ZIP 35816 compare to other ZIPs in Alabama?

ZIP 35816 is one of the more affordable among Alabama ZIP codes for rent, ranking #111 of 116 at $951/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 35816 changed -0.7%, against a typical +3.1% across the 84 Alabama ZIP codes Zillow tracks.