Rents are right about where Stamford's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,971 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 Stamford usually run 1.1% below trend in January and 1.1% above it in July, about $65 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Stamford is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2016.
Rent in Stamford changed +2.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 41 Connecticut cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.7%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Stamford rose 25.8% while median household income rose 19.9% ($93,059 to $111,586). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Stamford is 33.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($111,586) is $2,790 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,680); a 3-bedroom is $3,263.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Stamford, 06901 ($3,087/mo), costs 13% more than the cheapest, 06905 ($2,723/mo).
Mount Vernon, NY, 19 miles away, rents for 11% less ($2,639/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Stamford. 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
Stamford, CT is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 51.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Stamford, CT has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Stamford, CT stood at $2,312 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,971, reflecting a 28.5% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $99,791 to $111,586 between 2021 and 2024, a 11.8% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.7% since 2021, moving from about 134,820 residents to roughly 137,144. Taken together, the five-year picture in Stamford, 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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Can you afford rent in Stamford on your salary?
At $2,971/mo, how Stamford rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Stamford rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Stamford. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Stamford
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Stamford is $2,971/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,838/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,680/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,233/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,263/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($111,586/yr), Stamford ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,971/mo, rent takes ~32% of Stamford's median household income ($111,586/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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