Alabama · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Lee County, AL

Prices around Lee County, AL run 12.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $65,824 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,181 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $47,240 a year.

Lee County, AL at a glance

Median household income

$65,824$5,485 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,181HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)87.9-12.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential AL
Population181,134Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Lee 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$1,181Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$47,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,646At 30% of $65,824
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Auburn-Opelika, AL HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Lee County, AL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$847$10,164$33,88015.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,077$12,924$43,08019.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,181$14,172$47,24021.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,494$17,928$59,76027.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,699$20,388$67,96031%

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

What a typical income covers in Lee County, AL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $65,824 a year ($5,485 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,743/moRent ($1,181 2-BR), utilities (~$148/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,646/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,097/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $65,824 leaves after Alabama taxes

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

$65,824
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$65,824
Net 79%
Fed 9%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$52,304After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,359Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,012Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,719 / yr
Alabama state income tax$2,765 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,036 / yr

Living in Lee County, AL: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Lee County, AL is $65,824 per year (approximately $5,485 per month).

What is the average rent in Lee County, AL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $847 for a studio, $1,077 for one bedroom, $1,181 for two, $1,494 for three and $1,699 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 Lee County, AL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 87.9, 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 Lee County, AL?

To keep a $1,181 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $47,240 a year, or $3,937 a month. That is 72% of what the typical household in Lee County, AL earns.

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

On the local median income of $65,824 ($5,485 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,743 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,646 for everything else and $1,097 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,181 takes 43% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Lee 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.