ZIP Code · AL

ZIP 36870

Part of Phenix City, AL

Pop. 17,951·Lee County·47th most expensive ZIP in Alabama

Median rent (all units)

$1,455/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+1.3%

vs US Median

-$477

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 36870 · $1,455

More affordable than 76% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$850

1 BR

$1,040

2 BR

$1,150

3 BR

$1,470

4 BR+

$1,680

Research median

$1,150/mo

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

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($72,500) is $1,813 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,680).

Rank in Phenix City

3rd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Phenix City.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 36867, 6 miles away, rents for 22% less ($1,135/mo), about $3,800 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 36870. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$17,460/yr

At $1,455/mo median

Location

CityPhenix City

StateAL

CountyLee County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (0.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +1.3% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 36870 (Phenix City, AL) is majority owner-occupied, 22.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

17,951

Median income

$72,500

Median age

37.9

Renters

19.3%

Age distribution

22.3%

21.6%

25.6%

17%

13.5%

Under 1822.3%

18–3421.6%

35–5425.6%

55–6417%

65+13.5%

Gender

50.3%

49.7%

Male50.3%

Female49.7%

Race & ethnicity

70.3%

20.6%

White70.3%

Black20.6%

Hispanic5.4%

Asian1%

Other2.7%

Education (25+)

31.1%

37.8%

22.9%

No HS diploma8.2%

HS diploma31.1%

Some college37.8%

Bachelor's+22.9%

Housing tenure

80.7%

19.3%

Owner80.7%

Renter19.3%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 36870 in Phenix City, AL has changed in 5 years

Income

$66,082 → $72,500

up 9.7%

Population

19,581 → 17,951

down 8.3%

Renter share

25.2% → 19.3%

-5.9 pts

Bachelor's+

21.5% → 22.9%

+1.4 pts

Median age

36.6 → 37.9

+1.3 yrs

Census figures show median household income at $72,500 today, compared with $66,082 five years earlier. Census counts show ZIP 36870 in Phenix City, AL losing about 1,630 residents over the five-year window, down 8.3% on net. The renter share has eased from 25.2% to 19.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 36870

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 36870 covers Phenix City, AL. The median rent here is $1,455/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,040/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,150/mo.

At 24% of local median household income ($72,500/yr), ZIP 36870 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 36870?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $58,000/year (about $28/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,455/mo in ZIP 36870. The local median household income is $72,500/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.