Rents are 16% below what Gilbert's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,079 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Gilbert usually run 0.9% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in July, about $33 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Gilbert is 0% below its high of $2,080 in June 2024, at $2,079 as of September 2026.
Rent in Gilbert changed +1.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 45 Arizona cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Gilbert rose 41.3% while median household income rose 26.5% ($96,857 to $122,551). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Gilbert is 34.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($122,551) is $3,064 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,603); a 3-bedroom is $3,503.
The priciest of 6 ZIP codes in Gilbert, 85298 ($2,640/mo), costs 40% more than the cheapest, 85234 ($1,883/mo).
Mesa, 7 miles away, rents for 26% less ($1,532/mo), about $6,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Gilbert. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Gilbert, AZ is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 48.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Gilbert, AZ has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Gilbert, AZ paid around $1,768 a month. That figure now sits near $2,079, up 17.6% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Gilbert, AZ now reports about $122,551, up from $105,733 in 2021. Census counts show Gilbert, AZ adding about 18,013 residents over the five-year window, up 6.9% on net. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Gilbert, AZ reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Gilbert on your salary?
At $2,079/mo, how Gilbert rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Gilbert rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Gilbert. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Gilbert
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Gilbert is $2,079/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,043/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,603/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,240/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,503/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($122,551/yr), Gilbert ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Gilbert?
At $2,079/mo, rent takes ~20% of Gilbert's median household income ($122,551/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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