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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 35581 (Phil Campbell, AL)

Negative cash flow at any interest rate with 25% down: the rent does not cover operating costs and principal.

Rent here is HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom, because Zillow does not publish a rent index for this ZIP. It is the 40th percentile of gross rents, so market rent for a typical home is likely higher and the yield and cash flow below are conservative.
Gross yield
5.7%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.3%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$613/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$178,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$840/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$10,080
Vacancy$504
Management$766
Property tax$571
Insurance$2,287
Maintenance$1,783
Net operating income$4,169
Loan payments$11,530
Cash flow-$7,361
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$178,306
Down payment (25%)$44,577
Loan$133,730
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$961
Cash in$49,926
Cash-on-cash return-14.7%
DSCR0.36
Break-even ratenone
Down payment25%
A common minimum for investment-property and DSCR loans.
Interest rate7.78%
Freddie Mac 30-year 7.03% (week of 2026-09-24) + 0.75 point investor premium.
Loan term30 years
Fixed, fully amortising.
Closing costs3% of price
Added to cash invested.
Insurance$2,287 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Alabama, $1,906, x 1.2 for a landlord policy.
Maintenance1% of price a year
The 1% rule of thumb; older homes run higher.
Vacancy5% of rent
About 18 days empty a year.
Management8% of collected rent
A typical full-service fee; zero if you self-manage.

Trends

Five years to August 2026

Price, 12 months
+0.6%
Rent, 12 months
n/a
no Zillow rent series here
Rent minus price growth
n/a
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
10010511011512012520222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$149,884
Aug 2022$165,534
Aug 2023$183,159
Aug 2024$182,765
Aug 2025$177,216
Aug 2026$178,306

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$620$740$840$1,070$1,180
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026not published for this ZIP

HUD's Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a standard unit, and it is what Section 8 vouchers pay against. Zillow's index tracks asking rents on listed homes. The two measure different things, so they are shown side by side and never averaged. HUD area: Franklin County, AL.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.32%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$571/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Franklin County: 0.32%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
0.8
Franklin County, last 12 months
National percentile
14th
among US counties

9 new housing units permitted in 2025-09 to 2026-08, Census Building Permits Survey. A high figure means more new supply competing for tenants.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIPDistanceTypical priceRentGross yieldCash flow /mo
35585Spruce Pine7.8 mi$192,000$850*5.3%-$686
35564Hackleburg10.3 mi$155,000$780*6.0%-$512
35654Russellville10.7 mi$190,000$880*5.6%-$643
35565Haleyville12.0 mi$133,000$840*7.6%-$324
35571Hodges13.2 mi$187,000$940*6.0%-$577
35653Russellville14.7 mi$172,000$880*6.2%-$544
35651Mount Hope15.0 mi$244,000$840*4.1%-$1,056
35570Hamilton21.0 mi$173,000$780*5.4%-$626

* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom (no Zillow rent index for that ZIP).

Every ZIP in Franklin CountyAlabama

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Questions

Is 35581 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $178,000 and renting for $840 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 5.7% and the estimated cap rate is 2.3%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$613 a month. The median gross yield across the 8,418 ZIP codes with full Zillow data is 5.6%. These are figures for a typical property, not a judgement on any particular one.
What is the typical rent in 35581?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 35581. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $840, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 35581?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.32% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $178,000 home that is about $571 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 35581 break even?
With the default assumptions, no interest rate brings cash flow to zero: rent does not cover operating costs plus principal on a 30-year loan with 25% down.
How fast are prices and rents changing in 35581?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +0.6%.

Sources and method

Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.

Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.