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  2. Birmingham AL
Updated May 10, 2026

Average Rent in Birmingham AL

12 apartment buildings, 60 units. Real prices pulled from each property's leasing system this morning.

Avg Rent

$1,795/mo

Cheapest

$1,000/mo

Properties

12

Units

60

Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 12 properties in Birmingham AL.

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Birmingham AL Rent Prices

All 12 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Explore Each Property

Birmingham AL Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Birmingham AL is $1,795 per month, based on 60 units across 12 apartment communities. Prices range from $1,000 at Foundry Yards to $1,858 at The Palmer Parkside Apartments.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $1,229/mo $1,000/mo 5
1 Bed $1,727/mo $1,255/mo 31
2 Bed $2,000/mo $1,109/mo 24

Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

Market Context

Who rents in Birmingham AL, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Birmingham AL averages $1,727/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $2,000/mo. At the local median household income of $44,376, that works out to 49% of gross income, a severely rent-burdened market by HUD standards.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Birmingham AL at $1,047/mo. The current tracked market average runs 71% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Birmingham AL while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

Who employs renters in Birmingham

Demand in the Birmingham rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:

  • UAB Health System
  • Regions Financial
  • Protective Life
  • Alabama Power

Mean one-way commute in Birmingham AL is 22 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Birmingham AL?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$72,000/year

30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $1,795/mo.

Comfortable income

$86,000/year

25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,000/mo), you need to earn at least $40,000/year.

Median household income in Birmingham AL is $44,376 , about 48% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Birmingham AL

Overall prices in Birmingham AL runs below the national average by about 8% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 91.8, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Birmingham AL's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $1,795
Utilities $308
Groceries $511
Transportation $735
Healthcare $359
Other goods and services $574
Estimated total $4,282/mo

Population

199,322

Median household income

$44,376

Census median rent

$1,047/mo

Rent as % of income

33.4%

Median age

35.9

Mean commute

22 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

Compare

Nearby cities in Alabama

How Birmingham AL rent compares to other markets in the state.

City Avg Rent vs Birmingham AL Properties
Montgomery, AL $1,402 -22% 8
Huntsville, AL $1,373 -24% 8

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Birmingham AL?

The average rent in Birmingham AL is $1,795 per month, based on 60 units across 12 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Birmingham AL?

The lowest available rent in Birmingham AL starts at $1,000 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Birmingham AL?

1-bedroom apartments in Birmingham AL average $1,727/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $1,255/mo across 31 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Birmingham AL?

2-bedroom apartments in Birmingham AL average $2,000/mo. Units start from $1,109/mo across 24 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Birmingham AL

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

View Rent Trends
Adding new buildings daily

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