1st Advantage MortgageIn Lee County, Alabama, the typical household earns $65,824 a year and the typical rent is $1,058. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Lee County by the numbers
- Household income in Lee County
- How Lee County residents earn a living
- Rent, home values and ownership in Lee County
- Lee County towns compared
- Lee County next to its neighbors
- What a median Lee County budget can carry
- Local borrowing considerations for Lee County
- More Lee County figures
- Checklist for Lee County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Lee County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Lee County by the numbers
With an estimated 181,134 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Lee County ranks 8th of 67 in Alabama for population. Land area is 608 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 298 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Auburn-Opelika, AL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Auburn is the biggest of its 5 Census places, at roughly 80,594 people (44% of the county total).
Household income in Lee County
Lee County households have a median income of $65,824 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 13th of 67 in Alabama.
| Household income | Lee County | vs Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.4% | +1.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.9% | -3.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.3% | +1.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.4% | +0.7 pts |
The spread is wide: 33% of Lee County households make $100,000 or more, and 29% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 18.9%, 3 points higher than the state's 15.6%. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
How Lee County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 30% of employed Lee County residents work in education and health care and 12% in manufacturing. Compared with Alabama, the county leans toward education and health care (30% against 23%). Averaged over the five survey years, 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 10% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 4.8% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Lee County workers | vs Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.4% | +7.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.6% | -2.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.3% | -1.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.9% | -0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.5% | +1.4 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.0% | +0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Rent, home values and ownership in Lee County
Renters in Lee County pay a median of $1,058 a month, 5% above the Alabama figure of $1,007. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 57% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $262,200, about 4.0 times the median household income. Owners occupy 66% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1997.
| Home costs | Lee County | Alabama | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,058/mo | $1,007/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $262,200 | $209,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 57% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 24% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 13% | 15% | n/a |
Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Lee County towns compared
Here are the 5 most populous of the county's 5 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 66% of Lee County residents live in one of the 5. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $63,668 in Auburn to $65,004 in Opelika. This guide covers each of the 5 places and the rural areas around them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | city | 80,594 | $63,668 | $1,098 | 8 mi |
| Opelika | city | 32,820 | $65,004 | $950 | 4 mi |
| Smiths Station | city | 5,496 | $64,669 | $1,012 | 16 mi |
| Waverly | town | 315 | $81,953 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Loachapoka | town | 223 | $41,985 | $905 | 14 mi |
Lee County next to its neighbors
Chambers County is closest, 22 miles from center to center; the sixth, Tallapoosa County, is 32 miles off. Harris County leads the group on income ($97,302), Macon County trails ($43,707), and Lee County out-earns 5 of the six. Some neighbors are in Georgia. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Lee County resident follows Alabama rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | - | $65,824 | $1,058/mo | 66% |
| Chambers County, AL | 22 mi | $49,656 | $871/mo | 72% |
| Russell County, AL | 24 mi | $51,197 | $939/mo | 61% |
| Macon County, AL | 25 mi | $43,707 | $734/mo | 62% |
| Harris County, GA | 27 mi | $97,302 | $1,048/mo | 89% |
| Muscogee County, GA | 29 mi | $58,073 | $1,106/mo | 51% |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | 32 mi | $59,356 | $765/mo | 76% |
What a median Lee County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Lee County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Lee County: $5,485
- Median rent: $1,058, or 19 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 36% ceiling, about $917 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- Under a 43% cap, $2,359 total minus rent leaves $1,301
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Lee County's.
Local borrowing considerations for Lee County
Based on the Lee County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Mobile home upkeep. 14% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Free help first. 19% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
- 57% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
More Lee County figures
42% of Lee County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 9% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Lee County | Alabama | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 39.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 42.4% | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.9% | 11.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.6% | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 15.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 41.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.6% |
| 60+ min | 4.6% |
Checklist for Lee County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Lee County:
- Price the Lee County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Licensing and complaints for Lee County
Lee County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Alabama State Banking Department. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. More on Alabama: Alabama personal loans.
Related local guides
The Alabama guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lee County a high-income county?
Its $65,824 median ranks 13th of 67 Alabama counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Lee County?
$1,058 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
Which towns does the Lee County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 5 Census places: Auburn, Opelika, Smiths Station, Waverly, Loachapoka.
Are Lee County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Where can someone in Lee County check a lender's license?
With the Alabama State Banking Department. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.