Rents are 6% below what Waterbury'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 $1,551 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
July. Asking rents in Waterbury usually run 0.4% below trend in July and 0.6% above it in October, about $16 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Waterbury is 0.1% below its high of $1,552 in August 2026, at $1,551 as of September 2026.
Rent in Waterbury changed +2.0% 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 Waterbury rose 59.5% while median household income rose 22.4% ($42,401 to $51,886). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Waterbury is 69% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($51,886) is $1,297 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,155); a 2-bedroom is $1,405.
The priciest of 6 ZIP codes in Waterbury, 06705 ($1,644/mo), costs 22% more than the cheapest, 06702 ($1,350/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Waterbury. 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
Waterbury, CT is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 17.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Waterbury, CT has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Waterbury, CT has climbed by $517 per month, settling near $1,551 after starting the period at $1,034. Household income in the area moved from $48,787 to $51,886 across the same window, up 6.4% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 43.6 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 113,783 to 114,869 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.0% change. About 52.8% of households rent today, against 54.4% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Waterbury, CT look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Waterbury on your salary?
At $1,551/mo, how Waterbury rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Waterbury rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Waterbury. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Waterbury
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Waterbury is $1,551/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $978/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,405/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,155/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,827/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($51,886/yr), Waterbury ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Waterbury rent compare to other cities in Connecticut?
At $1,551/mo, rent takes ~36% of Waterbury's median household income ($51,886/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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