Tuscaloosa, Alabama Housing Market Prices
Tuscaloosa Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 59% above the Alabama median$254,598
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Median rent 4% above the Alabama median$1,050
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Tuscaloosa | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $254,598 | $160,474 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 10.5% | 6.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,050 | $1,007 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.7% | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Tuscaloosa is about 59% higher than in Alabama. Rent is about 4% higher than the Alabama average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Tuscaloosa, up about 10.5% and 3.7% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Tuscaloosa rose about 34.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $779 to $1,050. Over the same span, rent in Alabama rose about 40.5%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 5.2 yearly household incomes in Tuscaloosa.
Buying the median-priced home in Tuscaloosa costs roughly 20.2 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Tuscaloosa. The price-to-rent ratio in Alabama is about 13.3.
| Metric | Tuscaloosa | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $254,598 | $160,474 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $49,249 | $64,544 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.2 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Tuscaloosa rose about 39.9%, while median household income rose about 72.1% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Tuscaloosa | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 34.0% | 60.0% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 46.0% | 25.5% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 20.0% | 14.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 11.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2015 | 2010 | 2011 |
Tuscaloosa has a homeownership rate of 34.0%, lower than the Alabama average of 60.0%. Its housing vacancy rate is 20.0%, compared with 14.5% in Alabama.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Tuscaloosa | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.33 people | 2.48 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1986 | 1985 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.0 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Tuscaloosa was built around 1986. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.0 rooms, staying for about 11.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
What is the median home price in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
The median home price in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is $254,598, higher than the Alabama average of $160,474.
What is the average home price in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
The typical home price in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, reported as the median sale price, is $254,598. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
The median gross rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is $1,050 per month, higher than the Alabama average of $1,007.
What was the median gross rent in Tuscaloosa in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was $859 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
The price-to-rent ratio in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is about 20.2, meaning it would take roughly 20.2 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Tuscaloosa.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Tuscaloosa, up about 10.5% and 3.7% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
34.0% of households in Tuscaloosa, Alabama own their home, lower than the Alabama average of 60.0%.
What is the vacancy rate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
The housing vacancy rate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is 20.0%, higher than the Alabama average of 14.5%.
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