CostBy County

Cost of Living in Lamar County, Alabama

$549/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$114,000
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$549/mo
33% below state average
Median Home Value
$114,000
66% below national
Census GRAPI
31.0%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Stretched
Median gross rent is 30–50% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Lamar County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Lamar County$549/mo
Alabama Average$820/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$549/mo
Median Gross Rent
$114,000
Median Home Value
$490/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
31.0%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Lamar County ranks #25 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 1%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Lamar County Median Gross Rent Estimated at $549 Monthly

The median gross rent in Lamar County was $549 per month, a figure $271 lower than the Alabama unweighted county mean of $820. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 31.0%, which is 2.4 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean of 28.6%. For owner-occupied units, the median home value was $114,000, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $159,660. Median selected monthly owner costs for all homeowners were $490 per month, while the state unweighted county mean was $706. The median renter-household income was recorded at $21,477. These findings are derived from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. The information provided is a fixed snapshot of reported housing expenditures and does not constitute a prediction of future market values or cost changes. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Lamar County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 31.0% of renter household income in Lamar County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $549 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $490. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $21,960 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Alabama unweighted mean of county median rents is $820 per month. Lamar County's $549 median is 33.1% below that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Lamar County

$

Rent Burden

13.2%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,167

per month

Owner Cost Burden

11.8%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Lamar County

Median home value is $114,000. Estimated monthly cost: $910 vs. your max of $1,167.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income13.2%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $50,000Needed: $21,960
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $50,000Needed: $21,000
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $50,000Needed: $26,531

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Lamar County, Alabama?
Lamar County, Alabama has a median monthly rent of $549/mo and a median home value of $114,000. The affordability rating is Stretched, with median gross rent equal to approximately 31.0% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Lamar County?
The median gross rent in Lamar County is $549/mo. This is 33% below state average for Alabama.
Is Lamar County affordable?
Lamar County is rated Stretched using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 31.0%. Median gross rent is 30–50% of renter household income.
How does Lamar County's rent compare to the state average?
Lamar County's median rent of $549/mo is 33% below state average of $820/mo for Alabama.
What is the median home value in Lamar County?
The median home value in Lamar County, Alabama is $114,000. This is 66% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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