Rents are 18% below what Lakewood Ranch'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 $2,311 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 Lakewood Ranch usually run 0.6% below trend in July and 1% above it in February, about $37 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Lakewood Ranch is 8.5% below its high of $2,527 in May 2022, at $2,311 as of September 2026.
Rent in Lakewood Ranch changed +0.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 270 Florida cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.8%.
Rent in Lakewood Ranch is 29.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($122,925) is $3,073 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,455); a 3-bedroom is $3,225.
Bradenton, 10 miles away, rents for 23% less ($1,768/mo), about $6,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lakewood Ranch. 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
Lakewood Ranch, FL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 60.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lakewood Ranch, FL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Lakewood Ranch, FL paid around $1,930 a month. That figure now sits near $2,311, up 19.7% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $122,925 today, compared with $110,026 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Lakewood Ranch, FL adding about 14,537 residents over the five-year window, up 49.4% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 56.1% to 60.6% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Lakewood Ranch on your salary?
At $2,311/mo, how Lakewood Ranch rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lakewood Ranch rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lakewood Ranch. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lakewood Ranch
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Lakewood Ranch is $2,311/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,680/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,455/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,100/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,225/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($122,925/yr), Lakewood Ranch ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Lakewood Ranch rent compare to other cities in Florida?
At $2,311/mo, rent takes ~23% of Lakewood Ranch's median household income ($122,925/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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