Rents are 19% below what Mesa's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Mesa's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Mesa usually run 1% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in July, about $26 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Mesa is 2% below its high of $1,564 in April 2022, at $1,532 as of September 2026.
Rent in Mesa changed +0.1% 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 Mesa rose 41.8% while median household income rose 42.2% ($58,181 to $82,752). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Mesa is 31.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 4 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($82,752) is $2,069 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,985); a 3-bedroom is $2,670.
The priciest of 13 ZIP codes in Mesa, 85215 ($2,265/mo), costs 1.8 times the cheapest, 85203 ($1,291/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Mesa. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Mesa, AZ is majority owner-occupied, 32.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Mesa, AZ has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Mesa, AZ has shifted from $1,305 to $1,532, up 17.4% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $65,725 to $82,752 across the same window, up 25.9% versus 2021. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Mesa, AZ adding about 14,012 residents over the five-year window, up 2.8% on net. The renter share has eased from 37.5% to 35.6%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 29.5% to 32.5% across the same window. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Mesa, AZ look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Mesa
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Mesa on your salary?
At $1,532/mo, how Mesa rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Mesa rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Mesa. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Mesa
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Mesa is $1,532/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,105/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,409/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,213/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,896/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($82,752/yr), Mesa ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Mesa?
Is rent going up or down in Mesa?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Mesa?
Has rent outpaced income in Mesa?
Which Mesa neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Mesa rent compare to other cities in Arizona?
At $1,532/mo, rent takes ~22% of Mesa's median household income ($82,752/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Mesa.
No discussions yet.