Rents are 4% below what Hamden'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 $2,383 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
October. Asking rents in Hamden usually run 0.8% below trend in October and 0.6% above it in May, about $33 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Hamden is 1.5% below its high of $2,419 in July 2026, at $2,383 as of September 2026.
Rent in Hamden changed +1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 41 Connecticut cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.7%.
Rent in Hamden is 75.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Hamden, 06518 ($2,745/mo), costs 26% more than the cheapest, 06517 ($2,175/mo).
New Haven, 5 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,972/mo), about $4,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Hamden. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series.
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How Hamden, CT has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Hamden, CT paid around $1,463 a month. That figure now sits near $2,383, up 62.9% from the 2021 baseline. Taken together, the five-year picture in Hamden, CT reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $2,383/mo, how Hamden rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Hamden rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Hamden. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Hamden
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Hamden is $2,383/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,613/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,123/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,740/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,637/mo.
At 40% of estimated US median household income ($72,000/yr), Hamden ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,383/mo, rent takes ~40% of US median household income ($72,000/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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