Measured against area pay, Stapleton costs less to live in than 97% of U.S. towns
It ranks #4 of 187 in Alabama for affordability. Up 1.9% in a year, 32% above the Alabama typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL metro area ($79K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 2 sales in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across the Daphne-area metro earn ($79K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs what the Census reports.
In dollars
- $314Ktypical home, 32% above the Alabama typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,220a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 4%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What Stapleton’s housing numbers say
Nearly every household owns
100% of Stapleton households own their home, against 70% across Alabama. Property taxes ↓
Mostly newer homes
Half of Stapleton’s homes were built after 2005, against 1986 for Alabama as a whole. Property taxes ↓
Written from the data on this page. Home values are the Zillow Home Value Index, through September 2026; incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Stapleton’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Stapleton is more affordable than 97% of U.S. towns, #4 of 187 in Alabama. Property tax pulls the grade down most; the share of households paying 30%+ for housing holds it up.
Values have outpaced Alabama: the typical Stapleton home is up 26.1% in five years, against 16.8% statewide (Zillow).
Up 26.1% in five years
Faster than Alabama (16.8%).
Show as a table
| January | Stapleton | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $156,000 | $145,000 |
| 2018 | $169,000 | $150,000 |
| 2019 | $181,000 | $156,000 |
| 2020 | $190,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $226,000 | $185,000 |
| 2022 | $259,000 | $212,000 |
| 2023 | $276,000 | $226,000 |
| 2024 | $296,000 | $230,000 |
| 2025 | $307,000 | $235,000 |
| 2026 | $305,000 | $236,000 |
| September 2026 | $314,000 | $239,000 |
A typical Stapleton home worth $155K in October 2016 is worth about $314K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A typical home costs what the Census reports of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Stapleton’s own median, or type yours.
That covers a typical Stapleton home, with $17K to spare.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,220 a month here, $530 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, the Alabama typical property tax (0.38% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,220
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL MSA): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Stapleton vs. its neighbors
Of the 4 towns here with a Zillow value, Stapleton has the 3rd-lowest.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stapleton | A+ | $314K | — | — | $1,220 |
| Loxley | C+ | $290K | $399K | 0.28% | $1,290 |
| Spanish Fort | B− | $385K | $344K | 0.27% | $1,360 |
| Bay Minette | A | $207K | $173K | 0.31% | $1,120 |
Questions about the cost of living in Stapleton
Is Stapleton expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Stapleton costs less than 97% of U.S. towns: an A+ for cost of living, #4 of 187 in Alabama.
How much does a house cost in Stapleton?
About $314K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 1.9% in a year. The Alabama typical home is $239K.
What salary do you need to live in Stapleton?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $75,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,750 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $49,000.
How much is rent in Stapleton?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,220 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in.
Are home prices in Stapleton going up?
Yes: up 1.9% in the past year and 26.1% in five years, against 16.8% across Alabama (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Stapleton buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.