Alabama Rental Portfolio Guide
What you need to know before building or growing a rental portfolio in Alabama — property tax burden, state income tax, security-deposit rule, source-of-income law, and the metros that actually cash-flow after accounting for local taxes.
Tax burden on Alabama rentals
Property tax
0.42%
effective rate on median home value
At 0.42% effective, this is one of the lowest property tax burdens in the country (rank 2 of 51). Portfolio holding costs stay low even in appreciating markets — a big structural advantage for long-term holds.
State income tax
5.00%
top marginal rate
A top marginal rate of 5.00% is moderate. Portfolio income above the federal deduction stack still faces this rate on top of federal, so tax-optimized holding structures (installment sales, 1031s, cost-segregation) matter more here than in no-tax states.
Security deposit rule
State law caps security deposits at 1 month' rent (with the qualifier noted below). Charging above the cap exposes the landlord to statutory damages in most states, so build lease templates that respect this ceiling from day one.
Note: one month, plus fees for pets/tenant-caused increases
Deposit rules change; verify current statute before drafting a lease.
Best cash-flow markets in Alabama
Modeled monthly cash flow on a median-priced single-family purchase at 20% down, 30-year fixed, using Alabama’s 0.42% effective property tax rate plus 25% of rent for insurance, maintenance, vacancy and management.
| Market | Median price | Median rent | Annual property tax | CF / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozark, AL | $162,163 | $1,276 | $681 | $50 |
| Enterprise, AL | $184,920 | $1,413 | $777 | $26 |
| Talladega, AL | $182,843 | $1,299 | $768 | $-48 |
| Troy, AL | $165,766 | $1,089 | $696 | $-110 |
| Mobile, AL | $197,857 | $1,323 | $831 | $-114 |
| Gadsden, AL | $184,689 | $1,221 | $776 | $-117 |
State median across the metros: $215,379 home, $1,338 rent, $-174/mo modeled cash flow.
Track your Alabama rental portfolio
The Pro Portfolio Tracker rolls up every property in your portfolio, auto-revalues them monthly against local price data, and flags DSCR risk and equity milestones. Each Alabama property carries the state-specific tax burden shown above through to the cash flow calculation.
Property tax rate: Tax Foundation. Security deposit rule: state statute. Verify current law before making decisions — statutes change and this page is a planning reference, not legal or tax advice.