Albertville, AL vs Fort Payne, AL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Fort Payne, AL has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% lower than Albertville, AL.

Albertville, AL · modeled 2BR rent
$840 / month
Fort Payne, AL · modeled 2BR rent
$800 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Albertville, AL and Fort Payne, AL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $103/month in Fort Payne, AL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $151,235 in Fort Payne, AL

Regional cost estimates: Albertville, AL uses Birmingham, AL. Fort Payne, AL uses Atlanta, GA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 0.5%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$103
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$1.2K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Albertville, AL

Population:23K
Cost Index:
85.5
100 = national average
Typical Home:$201K

Fort Payne, AL

Population:15K
Cost Index:
85.1
100 = national average
Typical Home:$186K

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Albertville, AL

The Heart of Dixie

23K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Alabama, this city has a population of 23K residents.

Fort Payne, AL

The Heart of Dixie

15K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Alabama, this city has a population of 15K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Albertville, AL vs Fort Payne, AL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↑ 11.5%
Albertville, AL
$1,985
Fort Payne, AL
$2,213
Difference
$228
more
Groceries
↓ 9.6%
Albertville, AL
$1,110
Fort Payne, AL
$1,003
Difference
$107
less
Transportation
↓ 1.6%
Albertville, AL
$1,379
Fort Payne, AL
$1,357
Difference
$22.39
less
Healthcare
↑ 3.4%
Albertville, AL
$595
Fort Payne, AL
$615
Difference
$20.45
more
All Utilities
↓ 2.3%
Albertville, AL
$626
Fort Payne, AL
$611
Difference
$14.55
less
Other
↓ 0.1%
Albertville, AL
$1,805
Fort Payne, AL
$1,804
Difference
$1.50
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$640
To$590
↓ $50.00
1 Bed
From$640
To$610
↓ $30.00
2 Bed
From$840
To$800
↓ $40.00
3 Bed
From$1,160
To$1,020
↓ $140
Albertville, ALZIP-level data

1BR range: $640–$640/mo

Fort Payne, ALZIP-level data

1BR range: $610–$610/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Albertville, AL
$7,603
Monthly in Fort Payne, AL
$103
Difference

Home Values

Albertville
Fort Payne
$201K
Median Value
$186K
↓ -1.7%
YoY Change
↓ -0.6%
↑ +33.6%
5-Year Change
↑ +35.3%

Homes in Fort Payne are 7% less expensive than Albertville

Calculate payment - AlbertvilleCalculate payment - Fort Payne

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
→ $0
Same taxes
Monthly Difference
$0
Same take-home
Effective Rate Diff
0.0%
Rate difference

Albertville, AL

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Alabama State Tax
Effective: 5.0%
$7.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.6%
$44.5K
Take-Home Pay
$8,794/month
$105.5K

Fort Payne, AL

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Alabama State Tax
Effective: 5.0%
$7.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.6%
$44.5K
Take-Home Pay
$8,794/month
$105.5K

Additional Tax Information

Albertville, AL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.1%
Property Tax:0.4%

Fort Payne, AL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.1%
Property Tax:0.4%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Albertville
Fort Payne
57 Moderate
Air Quality
50 Good
26%
Good Air Days
50.8%
98 High
Climate Risk
96 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌪💨
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.7°F
41 days
Heat Days >95°F
28 days
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.7°F
41 days
Heat Days >95°F
28 days

Before moving from Albertville, AL to Fort Payne, AL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Fort Payne, AL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Albertville, AL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Albertville to Fort Payne moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Fort Payne, AL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Albertville, AL vs Fort Payne, AL

How do the cost estimates for Albertville, AL and Fort Payne, AL compare?

Fort Payne, AL has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% lower than Albertville, AL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Albertville, AL, the model estimates $151,235 in Fort Payne, AL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Albertville, AL and Fort Payne, AL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $840/month in Albertville, AL and $800/month in Fort Payne, AL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

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