Housing affordability index in Alabama
Housing affordability index in Alabama: puts one number on the housing question: 18.7% of the state's median household income goes to principal and interest on a median-priced home at today's rate.
30-year fixed rate used: 6.76% (observed 2026-09-10, FRED MORTGAGE30US).
Share of income
18.7%
principal + interest
Monthly payment
$946
on a $182,161 home
Median income
$60,746
households, ACS 5-year
| Rank | County | Share of income | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee County | 23.6% | $1,166 |
| 2 | Baldwin County | 23.3% | $1,382 |
| 3 | Tuscaloosa County | 22.1% | $1,136 |
| 4 | Cherokee County | 21.2% | $824 |
| 5 | Pike County | 21.1% | $751 |
| 6 | Jefferson County | 20.5% | $1,085 |
| 7 | Lauderdale County | 19.4% | $908 |
| 8 | Madison County | 19.4% | $1,262 |
| 9 | Randolph County | 19.4% | $805 |
| 10 | Shelby County | 19% | $1,436 |
| 11 | Hale County | 19% | $568 |
| 12 | Russell County | 18.7% | $737 |
| 13 | Clay County | 18.7% | $748 |
| 14 | Houston County | 18.7% | $857 |
| 15 | Mobile County | 18.5% | $855 |
| 16 | Escambia County | 18.5% | $634 |
| 17 | Limestone County | 17.8% | $1,192 |
| 18 | Cullman County | 17.8% | $862 |
| 19 | Marshall County | 17.7% | $860 |
| 20 | Morgan County | 17.7% | $908 |
| 21 | Etowah County | 17.7% | $771 |
| 22 | Autauga County | 17.5% | $996 |
| 23 | Sumter County | 17.3% | $457 |
| 24 | Blount County | 17.3% | $830 |
| 25 | St. Clair County | 17.2% | $1,049 |
| 26 | Elmore County | 17.1% | $1,041 |
| 27 | Monroe County | 17% | $568 |
| 28 | Greene County | 16.9% | $461 |
| 29 | Jackson County | 16.9% | $659 |
| 30 | Washington County | 16.8% | $717 |
| 31 | DeKalb County | 16.8% | $670 |
| 32 | Montgomery County | 16.6% | $786 |
| 33 | Pickens County | 16.5% | $622 |
| 34 | Clarke County | 16.5% | $655 |
| 35 | Colbert County | 16.5% | $771 |
| 36 | Coffee County | 16.3% | $842 |
| 37 | Barbour County | 16.1% | $533 |
| 38 | Calhoun County | 16.1% | $730 |
| 39 | Franklin County | 16% | $632 |
| 40 | Cleburne County | 15.9% | $685 |
| 41 | Covington County | 15.9% | $646 |
| 42 | Perry County | 15.8% | $424 |
| 43 | Geneva County | 15.8% | $627 |
| 44 | Lowndes County | 15.7% | $433 |
| 45 | Talladega County | 15.7% | $685 |
| 46 | Conecuh County | 15.4% | $513 |
| 47 | Dallas County | 15.4% | $476 |
| 48 | Fayette County | 15.4% | $585 |
| 49 | Lawrence County | 15.3% | $697 |
| 50 | Bullock County | 15.1% | $456 |
| 51 | Tallapoosa County | 14.9% | $660 |
| 52 | Chambers County | 14.9% | $607 |
| 53 | Bibb County | 14.8% | $624 |
| 54 | Walker County | 14.6% | $645 |
| 55 | Choctaw County | 14.6% | $528 |
| 56 | Dale County | 14.6% | $643 |
| 57 | Marengo County | 14.3% | $512 |
| 58 | Macon County | 14.2% | $488 |
| 59 | Winston County | 14.1% | $580 |
| 60 | Henry County | 14.1% | $688 |
| 61 | Lamar County | 13.6% | $562 |
| 62 | Wilcox County | 13.6% | $432 |
| 63 | Chilton County | 13.6% | $706 |
| 64 | Butler County | 13.3% | $492 |
| 65 | Marion County | 13.1% | $542 |
| 66 | Coosa County | 13.1% | $569 |
| 67 | Crenshaw County | 12.9% | $521 |
Methodology
Every county figure for Alabama uses the county's own median home value and median household income from the Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, a 20% deposit, and the current 30-year fixed rate from FRED (MORTGAGE30US) amortised over 30 years.
The share shown is annualised principal and interest divided by median household income. Property tax, insurance and HOA dues are excluded so the comparison between counties stays like-for-like.
Counties without both a published home value and a published income are left out entirely rather than filled with an estimate, so the table is shorter than the county list in some states.
Sources: FRED series MORTGAGE30US, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2022.