How much is rent in Birmingham, AL?

The median 2-bedroom in Birmingham rents for $1,194 a month with utilities, $369 less than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,162 and a 3-bedroom $1,427.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,1942-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,1621-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$47,760Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
19%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Birmingham by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,286/mo
Birmingham
$1,286
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $51,440²
1 bedroom$1,162/mo
Birmingham
$1,162
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $46,480²
2 bedrooms$1,194/mo
Birmingham
$1,194
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $47,760²
3 bedrooms$1,427/mo
Birmingham
$1,427
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $57,080²
4 bedrooms$1,618/mo
Birmingham
$1,618
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $64,720²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Birmingham

Where rent costs less than Birmingham

15 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Birmingham
Paducah, KY	$886	$308/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$293/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$275/mo
Spartanburg, SC	$1,148	$46/mo
Pittsburgh, PA	$1,185	$9/mo
Tulsa, OK	$1,187	$7/mo

Rent in Birmingham: questions people ask

How much is rent in Birmingham?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,250 a month. By size: studio $1,286, 1 bedroom $1,162, 2 bedrooms $1,194, 3 bedrooms $1,427, 4 bedrooms $1,618 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Birmingham?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $47,760 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $46,480.

What share of income goes to rent in Birmingham?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 19% of the median household income of $75,472 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Birmingham?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in Alabama

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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