True Cost of Renting in Huntsville, AL

Huntsville is the Rocket City — home to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal (the Army's missile and aviation command), and the highest concentration of engineers and PhD holders per capita of any city in the US. Defense and aerospace employment is essentially recession-proof, creating one of the Southeast's most stable and fast-growing rental markets.

Neighborhoods & Average Rents

Downtown Huntsville / Big Spring Park

Studio:
$1,200/mo
1 Bed:
$1,400/mo
2 Bed:
$1,900/mo

Revitalized Downtown around Big Spring International Park; walkable restaurants on the Constellation district, the Von Braun Civic Center, and newer apartment towers. Huntsville Utilities electric. Alabama's fastest-growing downtown rental market.

South Huntsville / Research Park

1 Bed:
$1,300/mo
2 Bed:
$1,700/mo

Defense corridor adjacent to Redstone Arsenal and Cummings Research Park; apartment communities targeting aerospace and defense contractors. Car-dependent. Close to arsenal gate — important for daily commuters requiring base access.

Jones Valley / Hampton Cove

1 Bed:
$1,500/mo
2 Bed:
$2,000/mo

Upscale suburban area east of Huntsville near Monte Sano Mountain; newer apartment communities with resort amenities. Highest rents in metro Huntsville. Good Huntsville City Schools access. Car-dependent.

Utility Providers

Electric
Huntsville Utilities (TVA power)
Water
Huntsville Utilities
Internet
Comcast Xfinity, AT&T Fiber, Brightspeed

Commute & Transportation

Redstone Arsenal and Marshall Space Flight Center occupy a single contiguous installation — the main gates are on Rideout Road and Martin Road. I-565 runs from Downtown Huntsville to the arsenal. Nashville is 100 miles north on I-65; Birmingham is 100 miles south. The Huntsville International Airport (HSV) handles jet service. Cummings Research Park (second-largest research park in the US by employment) is directly adjacent to the arsenal, housing Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and dozens of defense contractors.

Rental Market Overview

Huntsville is the Southeast's fastest-growing rental market driven by defense and aerospace expansion — the Army's move of 4,500 CYBERCOM and Space Command billets to Redstone and multiple major defense contract awards have driven unprecedented demand. Huntsville Utilities (TVA-backed) electric rates are among the lowest in Alabama — summer bills average $90–150/month. Defense contractor salaries (typically $80,000–150,000+) support strong demand for quality apartments. Vacancy rates are extremely low. Alabama has no state-level rent control, and none of the three Huntsville submarkets carry a local ordinance of their own.

Data last updated: 2026-04

Compare Apartments in Huntsville

Enter your rental options below to see the true all-in monthly cost.

Renting in Huntsville: Common Questions

What is the average rent in Huntsville?
One-bedroom apartments in Huntsville range from $1,300/month in South Huntsville / Research Park to $1,500/month in Jones Valley / Hampton Cove. Two-bedroom units range from $1,700 to $2,000/month. These are base rents — add fees, utilities, and amenity costs to get the true all-in monthly cost.
What utilities do I need to set up in Huntsville?
In Huntsville, electricity is provided by Huntsville Utilities (TVA power), water by Huntsville Utilities, and common internet providers include Comcast Xfinity, AT&T Fiber, Brightspeed. Ask the leasing office for the specific unit's average monthly bill rather than a city-wide figure — utility costs vary more by building age and insulation than by location within Huntsville.
What neighborhoods are affordable in Huntsville?
South Huntsville / Research Park is the most affordable of the 3 Huntsville neighborhoods covered here, at $1,300/month for a one-bedroom — $200 less than Jones Valley / Hampton Cove, roughly a 13% gap. That swing is often bigger than any fee or amenity difference between two buildings in the same neighborhood, which is why comparing across neighborhoods matters as much as comparing within one.
Is Huntsville expensive to rent in?
Across the 3 neighborhoods covered here, the average one-bedroom in Huntsville runs about $1,400/month before fees, utilities, and amenities are added — and those add-ons are exactly what a bare average hides. Huntsville is the Southeast's fastest-growing rental market driven by defense and aerospace expansion — the Army's move of 4,500 CYBERCOM and Space Command billets to Redstone and multiple major defense contract awards have driven unprecedented demand. Run the specific units you are considering through RentCompare to see the true all-in monthly cost rather than relying on an area average.

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