Housing data for Muscle Shoals, AL
Muscle Shoals, AL has an estimated 16,951 residents and 7,273 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Colbert County.
32.9% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,029 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+20.2%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 16,951 (±25)
- Housing units
- 7,273 (±446)
- Households that rent
- 32.9%
- Median gross rent
- $1,029
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +20.2%
What stands out in Muscle Shoals
Working from home: 13.7% (±4.7 points) in Muscle Shoals, higher than in Colbert County (7.2%).
Median real estate taxes: $899 (±$93) in Muscle Shoals, higher than in Colbert County ($678).
Renters paying 30% or more of income: 26.1% (±7.4 points) in Muscle Shoals, lower than in Colbert County (40.6%).
Median household income: $75,894 (±$8,296) in Muscle Shoals, higher than in Colbert County ($60,628).
- Commute and cars in Muscle Shoals
- Property taxes in Muscle Shoals
- Rent burden in Muscle Shoals
- Income and affordability in Muscle Shoals
Housing in Muscle Shoals at a glance
- Median rent: $1,029 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $950 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 26.1% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 32.9% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $75,894 median household income
- Home values: $199,700 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,420 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $899 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 8.2% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 75.3% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 33.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 1.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 64.2% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 21.7 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 215 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +20.2% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 32.3% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.2% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Muscle Shoals against Colbert County, its state and the nation
| Muscle Shoals | Colbert County | Alabama | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 16,951 (±25) | 58,022 (exact) | 5,086,768 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 7,273 (±446) | 28,040 (±44) | 2,337,265 (±430) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 32.9% (±5.2 points) | 28.7% (±2.4 points) | 29.8% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,029 (±$75) | $887 (±$58) | $1,007 (±$8) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $75,894 (±$8,296) | $60,628 (±$3,733) | $63,999 (±$399) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $199,700 (±$19,909) | $171,000 (±$6,321) | $209,900 (±$1,076) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $899 (±$93) | $678 (±$38) | $788 (±$6) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 33.4% (±5.7 points) | 50.8% (±3.3 points) | 42.2% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 21.7 minutes (±1.9) | 22.5 minutes (±1.3) | 25.5 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 88.2% (±3.5 points) | 81.9% (±1.9 points) | 87.5% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 38.0 years (±2.7) | 42.9 years (±0.7) | 39.3 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Muscle Shoals covers 16.9 square miles of land, about 1,005 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Muscle Shoals has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 14,103 (±25) | 16,951 (±25) | +20.2% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 5,805 (±344) | 7,273 (±446) | +25.3% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $831 (±$28) | $1,029 (±$75) | +23.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $147,100 (±$6,744) | $199,700 (±$19,909) | +35.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $60,629 (±$6,411) | $75,894 (±$8,296) | +25.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,137 (±$44) | $1,420 (±$58) | +24.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $552 (±$50) | $899 (±$93) | +62.9% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 24.0% (±4.2 points) | 32.9% (±5.2 points) | +8.9 percentage points | Measurable increase |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.6% (±7.6 points) | 1.8% (±2.9 points) | −5.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Muscle Shoals
In 2025, the Muscle Shoals Police Department reported 215 violent and 1,816 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Colbert County, the departments that report recorded 190 violent and 1,106 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Muscle Shoals
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35661 | 26% | 19,169 | $1,006 | $191,800 | $74,310 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Muscle Shoals
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield | 3.7 mi | $829 | $133,800 | 39.8% |
| Tuscumbia | 4.2 mi | $748 | $196,700 | 34.7% |
| Florence | 6.2 mi | $820 | $196,300 | 47.9% |
| Leighton | 7.1 mi | $388 | — | 41.1% |
| St. Florian | 9.1 mi | $629 | $314,000 | 32.3% |
| Underwood-Petersville | 9.9 mi | $820 | $142,900 | 21.7% |
| Killen | 10 mi | $960 | $175,000 | 31.2% |
| Littleville | 10 mi | $817 | $142,400 | 31.0% |
Places in Alabama most like Muscle Shoals
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | $1,098 | $202,900 | $73,125 | 36.5% |
| Opelika | $950 | $241,800 | $65,004 | 30.9% |
| Semmes | $1,057 | $215,600 | $66,417 | 30.1% |
| Prattville | $1,313 | $214,600 | $81,337 | 32.6% |
| Millbrook | $1,111 | $207,100 | $70,313 | 25.0% |
| Montevallo | $956 | $220,700 | $56,626 | 35.1% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Alabama.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Muscle Shoals, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $760 | $834 | $1,085 | $1,348 | $1,426 |
HUD income limits for Muscle Shoals, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,050 | $31,700 | $50,750 |
| 2 people | $21,800 | $36,250 | $58,000 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $40,800 | $65,250 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $45,300 | $72,450 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $48,950 | $78,250 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $52,550 | $84,050 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $56,200 | $89,850 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $59,800 | $95,650 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $95,900.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Muscle Shoals
What is the average rent in Muscle Shoals, AL?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Muscle Shoals is $1,029 (±$75) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Muscle Shoals?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Muscle Shoals, AL is $777 (±$28) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Muscle Shoals rent-burdened?
26.1% of renting households in Muscle Shoals pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Muscle Shoals?
Muscle Shoals has an estimated 2,280 (±398) renting households, 32.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Muscle Shoals?
The median household income in Muscle Shoals is $75,894 (±$8,296) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Muscle Shoals, AL?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $199,700 (±$19,909) for owner-occupied homes in Muscle Shoals (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Muscle Shoals growing?
In Muscle Shoals, the number of residents went from 14,103 in 2015–2019 to 16,951 in 2020–2024 (+20.2%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Muscle Shoals?
The ZIP code that covers Muscle Shoals is 35661.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 35661?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 35661 is $1,006 (±$76) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Muscle Shoals city, Alabama
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Muscle Shoals Police Department (ORI AL0200300)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Muscle Shoals city, Alabama (place:53016, in state:01).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .