Alabama · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Clay County, AL

Prices around Clay County, AL run 11.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, Alabama). The typical household there earns $55,250 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $776 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $31,040 a year.

Clay County, AL at a glance

Median household income

$55,250$4,604 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$776HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.8-11.2% · BEA, Alabama
Electricity16.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential AL
Population14,192Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Clay County, AL?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$776Monthly market rent
Share of gross income16.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$31,040To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,381At 30% of $55,250
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Clay County, AL? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Clay County, AL, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Clay County, AL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$576$6,912$23,04012.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$591$7,092$23,64012.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$776$9,312$31,04016.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,024$12,288$40,96022.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,027$12,324$41,08022.3%

Rent in Clay County, AL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Clay County, AL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $55,250 a year ($4,604 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,302/moRent ($776 2-BR), utilities (~$148/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,381/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$921/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $55,250 leaves after Alabama taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Alabama tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$55,250
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$55,250
Net 80%
Fed 8%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$44,273After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,689Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,703Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,450 / yr
Alabama state income tax$2,300 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,227 / yr

Living in Clay County, AL: common questions

What is the median household income in Clay County, AL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Clay County, AL is $55,250 per year (approximately $4,604 per month).

What is the average rent in Clay County, AL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $576 for a studio, $591 for one bedroom, $776 for two, $1,024 for three and $1,027 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Clay County, AL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Alabama is 88.8, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Clay County, AL?

To keep a $776 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $31,040 a year, or $2,587 a month. That is 56% of what the typical household in Clay County, AL earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Clay County, AL?

On the local median income of $55,250 ($4,604 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,302 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,381 for everything else and $921 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $776 takes 34% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Clay County, AL?

Homes in Alabama paid 16.4¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $148. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.