Rents are 15% below what Clearwater'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 $1,975 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
Rent in Clearwater is 1.6% below its high of $2,007 in February 2025, at $1,975 as of September 2026.
Rent in Clearwater changed +0.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 270 Florida cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Clearwater rose 53.7% while median household income rose 36.3% ($48,691 to $66,381). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Clearwater is 49.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($66,381) is $1,660 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,697).
The priciest of 9 ZIP codes in Clearwater, 33767 ($3,945/mo), costs 2.3 times the cheapest, 33762 ($1,701/mo).
Largo, 6 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,754/mo), about $2,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Clearwater. 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
Clearwater, FL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 32.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Clearwater, FL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Clearwater, FL paid around $1,486 a month. That figure now sits near $1,975, up 32.9% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $66,381 today, compared with $54,182 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $1,975/mo, how Clearwater rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Clearwater rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Clearwater. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Clearwater
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Clearwater is $1,975/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,697/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,144/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,827/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,746/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($66,381/yr), Clearwater ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Clearwater?
At $1,975/mo, rent takes ~36% of Clearwater's median household income ($66,381/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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