Rents are 11% below what Delray Beach'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 $2,820 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
May. Asking rents in Delray Beach usually run 1.3% below trend in May and 1.6% above it in December, about $82 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Delray Beach is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Delray Beach changed +3.9% 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 Delray Beach rose 58.6% while median household income rose 35.1% ($60,746 to $82,041). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Delray Beach is 60.5% 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 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($82,041) is $2,051 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,954); a 2-bedroom is $2,334.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Delray Beach, 33483 ($3,408/mo), costs 30% more than the cheapest, 33446 ($2,630/mo).
Boynton Beach, 5 miles away, rents for 17% less ($2,348/mo), about $5,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Delray Beach. 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
Delray Beach, FL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 43.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Delray Beach, FL has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Delray Beach, FL has climbed from $1,968 to $2,820, a 43.3% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $69,804 to $82,041 across the same window, up 17.5% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 2.3% since 2021, moving from about 66,434 residents to roughly 67,979. College-educated residents now make up 43.7% of adults here, versus 40.5% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Delray Beach, FL look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Delray Beach on your salary?
At $2,820/mo, how Delray Beach rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Delray Beach rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Delray Beach. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Delray Beach
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Delray Beach is $2,820/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,748/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,334/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,954/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,048/mo.
At 41% of local median household income ($82,041/yr), Delray Beach ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,820/mo, rent takes ~41% of Delray Beach's median household income ($82,041/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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