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Dothan, AL

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Dothan, AL is $950 per month, ranking #648 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $56,772, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 20.1% of income on housing. Rent in Dothan has increased 5.1% year over year. The area has a population of 152K, with 31.7% of households renting.

20.1%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$950
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$56,772
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$878
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+5.1%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
152K
Population
Census ACS
31.7%
Renters
of occupied housing
$163,700
Median Home Value
16.3%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
18%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$757
Studio
$762
1 Bedroom
$950
2 Bedroom
$1,288
3 Bedroom
$1,428
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Dothan, AL, a household earning the area median income of $56,772 would spend 20.1% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$38,000
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$18
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$878
$72 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+34.6% since 2021
$7062021$7052022$7612023$9042024$8962025$9502026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Alabama is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 100.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Dothan is 18%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
100.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
18%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Dothan is $163,700. At a median income of $56,772, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.9x. 16.3% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,146 est. mortgage
vs $950 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
16.3%
of housing units

Other Areas in Alabama

Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
$1,345/mo
2BR FMR · 21.5% burden
Huntsville
$1,310/mo
2BR FMR · 18.8% burden
Birmingham-Hoover
$1,266/mo
2BR FMR · 21.8% burden
Auburn-Opelika
$1,181/mo
2BR FMR · 24% burden
Tuscaloosa
$1,169/mo
2BR FMR · 23.4% burden

Compare Dothan

vs Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, ALvs Huntsville, ALvs Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Areas With Similar Rent to Dothan

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Dothan, AL is $950 per month. A studio is $757/mo, a 1-bedroom is $762/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,288/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $878/mo.

Dothan has a rent burden of 20.1%, meaning a household earning the median income of $56,772 would spend 20.1% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $38,000.

Dothan's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $950/mo is $300 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Dothan ranks #648 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Dothan without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $38,000, or a full-time hourly wage of $18/hour. The area median income is $56,772.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Dothan increased by 5.1% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.