States › Alabama › Margaret

Is Margaret, AL expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 13 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,17533% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$109,793about $9,149/month · 26% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$230,90031% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 77% of U.S. cities. That makes it a rare mix of above-average pay and below-average rent. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards. Commutes are long, about 33.1 minutes each way. Most homes (87.3%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $47,000 a year. That is $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Alabama cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Alabama. It is number 61 of 120 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Margaret
$1,175
Highland Lakes
$1,264
Tarrant
$1,206
Monroeville
$607
Harvest
$1,301
Attalla
$782
Rainsville
$546

How much do households earn in Margaret?

Under $25k
6.2%
$25k–50k
17.6%
$50k–100k
39.9%
$100k–150k
33.8%
$150k+
2.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 36.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

How expensive is Margaret overall?

Everyday prices in Alabama overall are 11% below the U.S. average (index 88.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
62
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
85
Other services
97
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Margaret, so the Alabama figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Margaret

🏛️ Property tax$776a year · 0.34% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$226a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Margaret

Commute to work33.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree20.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home87.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line3.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment1.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Margaret?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $427 a month less.

Renting
$1,175
Owning
$1,602

Owning assumes a typical $230,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $23,090 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Margaret, AL?

Renting in Margaret costs a median of about $1,175 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Alabama median is $1,175.

How much do I need to make to live in Margaret?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $47,000 a year, or $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Margaret cheap or expensive?

Margaret is rated Cheap: rent takes 12.8% of the typical household income of $109,793. It ranks 61st cheapest of 120 Alabama cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Margaret?

The median homeowner in Margaret pays $776 a year in property taxes, about 0.34% of the median home value.

Is Margaret more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Alabama are 11% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Margaret?

The median home value in Margaret is $230,900, about 2.1 times the typical yearly household income.

5,877 people live in Margaret. Numbers are typical (middle) values.