Rents are 15% below what Ocala'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 $1,584 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
February. Asking rents in Ocala usually run 0.8% below trend in February and 0.7% above it in July, about $24 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Ocala is 0.8% below its high of $1,596 in December 2025, at $1,584 as of September 2026.
Rent in Ocala changed -0.1% 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 Ocala rose 49% while median household income rose 35% ($41,755 to $56,376). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Ocala is 46.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($56,376) is $1,409 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,365); a 3-bedroom is $1,745.
The priciest of 11 ZIP codes in Ocala, 34482 ($1,979/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 34475 ($1,332/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Ocala. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Ocala, FL is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 31.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Ocala, FL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Ocala, FL paid around $1,217 a month. That figure now sits near $1,584, up 30.2% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $46,841 to $56,376 between 2021 and 2024, a 20.4% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Ocala, FL adding about 4,233 residents over the five-year window, up 6.8% on net. The renter share has eased from 51.4% to 47.9%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 28% to 31.2% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Ocala, FL 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.
Discussions about Ocala
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Ocala on your salary?
At $1,584/mo, how Ocala rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Ocala rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Ocala. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Ocala
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Ocala is $1,584/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,045/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,365/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,129/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,745/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($56,376/yr), Ocala ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Ocala?
Is rent going up or down in Ocala?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Ocala?
Has rent outpaced income in Ocala?
Which Ocala neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Ocala rent compare to other cities in Florida?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Ocala?
At $1,584/mo, rent takes ~34% of Ocala's median household income ($56,376/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Ocala.
No discussions yet.