Rents are 17% below what Tempe'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 Tempe'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
December. Asking rents in Tempe usually run 1.2% below trend in December and 1.2% above it in July, about $39 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Tempe is 2.8% below its high of $1,670 in June 2022, at $1,623 as of September 2026.
Rent in Tempe changed +1.3% 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 Tempe rose 36.4% while median household income rose 37.4% ($57,994 to $79,663). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Tempe is 28.7% 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 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($79,663) is $1,992 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,920); a 2-bedroom is $2,230.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Tempe, 85284 ($2,807/mo), costs 1.8 times the cheapest, 85282 ($1,540/mo).
Youngtown, 26 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,429/mo), about $2,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tempe. 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
Tempe, AZ is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, 50% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Tempe, AZ has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Tempe, AZ paid around $1,357 a month. That figure now sits near $1,623, up 19.6% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Tempe, AZ now reports about $79,663, up from $64,080 in 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 Tempe, AZ adding about 9,203 residents over the five-year window, up 5.1% on net. The renter share has eased from 60.4% to 57.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 47.6% to 50% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Tempe, AZ reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,623/mo, how Tempe rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Tempe rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Tempe. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Tempe
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Tempe is $1,623/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,171/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,492/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,285/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,009/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($79,663/yr), Tempe ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Tempe rent compare to other cities in Arizona?
At $1,623/mo, rent takes ~24% of Tempe's median household income ($79,663/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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