Here’s what you need to earn to rent a place and live comfortably in Birmingham Metro

A new report released by Zillow says local residents need to earn a little over $57,000 to affordably rent an apartment or home in the Birmingham Metro area.

Even though that number might seem jaw dropping here in The Magic City, it ranks 5th cheapest nationally for the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S.. Only St. Louis, Louisville, Oklahoma City and Buffalo are cheaper.

Other local stats from the Zillow report? Monthly rent in Birmingham for April 2025 is $1.436. That amount is 36% more than in April 2020.

Comparing Birmingham to NYC

So, how does Birmingham fare with the most expensive and nearby cities?

Of course, you need to make six-figures in these cities.

• New York City – $147,000 – $3,674 monthly rent
• Boston – $127,000 – $3,175 monthly rent
• San Francisco – $124,300  – $3,107 monthly rent

Nearby cities:

• Atlanta – $76,745 – $1,919 monthly rent
• Nashville – $74,739 – $1,868 monthly rent
• Memphis – $58, 761 – $1.469 monthly rent

Did Zillow get the numbers right here in the Birmingham Metro area? Check out the entire report – HERE.