Birmingham’s monthly rent prices have decreased by roughly $30 since 2022 and are 49 percent cheaper than the national median, according to real estate database Zillow.

But while the area’s competitive cost of living has attracted buyers from across the country, many parts of the metro remain inaccessible to the average renter, which is true across the state, according to a recent AL.com article.

There are currently 546 rental properties listed on Zillow within Birmingham’s city limits and the median cost to rent one is just above $1,000. Renters in the nearby suburbs of Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills however, see average rent prices spike upwards.

As the Lede previously reported, these areas are also among some of the richest zip codes in the metro area.

The average cost to rent in Mountain Brook is $2,800 a month and the average cost to rent in Vestavia Hills is just under $1,800 a month, according to Zillow.