Lee County · Auburn-Opelika · population 83,757
Where Auburn stands
At or near all-time high. population growing 2.4% per year. rents up 6.0% in the last year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 19.4 price-to-rent ratio, Auburn is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Auburn has been growing population at 2.4% per year while home values compounded +6.3% annually. Demand-driven appreciation — the kind that persists as long as people keep showing up, which they currently are.
Auburn's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.
About Auburn
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, with an estimated population of 83,757. It anchors the Auburn-Opelika metro area. The population has grown 2.4% per year on average between 2020 and 2024 — among the faster-growing communities in the state. The median home value in Auburn is $417,207 as of 2026-04, up 4.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Auburn average $1,791 per month, up 6.0% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 78 of 100 (Hot). Buyers should expect competition and limited negotiation room in this market.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Auburn (Wikipedia)
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama. The population was 76,143 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. The Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA with a 2020 population of 193,773, along with the Columbus, GA-AL MSA and Tuskegee, Alabama, comprises the greater Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA, a region home to 563,967 residents as of 2020.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
Expect competition, escalation clauses, and pressure to waive inspections. Make your strongest offer up front — Hot markets reward decisiveness, not negotiation. If you can't write a clean offer, you may not be the best fit for this market right now.
Price slightly above recent comps and let multiple offers work. Days-on-market should be short. Don't accept the first offer in the first 48 hours unless it's significantly above ask.
Cap rates will look ugly in a Hot market — your thesis has to be appreciation, not yield. Don't expect cash flow; expect to ride the trend and exit before it stalls.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Lee County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lee County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Auburn
Run the numbers for Auburn
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Auburn listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Where to watch Auburn-LSU SEC Baseball Tournament for free todayAL.com · 6h ago
- Auburn Student Was Killed by Boyfriend's Dad When He Showed Her an Antique Gun, Lawsuit ClaimsPeople.com · 11h ago
- Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging Tommy Tuberville’s eligibility to be governorAlabama Reflector · 1d ago
- Auburn Phase II Drought Warning effective May 1City of Auburn (AL) (.gov) · 3w ago
- Vertex Innovations opens Auburn facility for jobsPlasticsToday · 2d ago
- In Alabama primary, voters cite different priorities as they choose nomineesNews From The States · 1d ago
Local chatter (Reddit)
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Auburn-Opelika area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Auburn
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.