Rents are 15% below what Tampa'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 $1,930 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
December. Asking rents in Tampa usually run 0.8% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in August, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Tampa is 0.7% below its high of $1,943 in March 2025, at $1,930 as of September 2026.
Rent in Tampa changed -0.3% 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 Tampa rose 48.3% while median household income rose 40.2% ($53,833 to $75,475). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Tampa is 45.1% 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 ($75,475) is $1,887 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,834); a 2-bedroom is $2,151.
The priciest of 16 ZIP codes in Tampa, 33629 ($2,795/mo), costs 2 times the cheapest, 33613 ($1,428/mo).
Temple Terrace, 6 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,737/mo), about $2,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tampa. 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
Tampa, FL is roughly split between renters and owners, 45.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Tampa, FL has changed in 5 years
Rent in Tampa, FL has climbed 32.7% since 2021, going from about $1,454 per month to roughly $1,930 today. Median household income grew from $59,893 to $75,475 between 2021 and 2024, a 26.0% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 6.7 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 380,476 to 401,618 between 2021 and 2024, a 5.6% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 41.8% to 45.7%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Tampa, 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 Tampa
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Tampa on your salary?
At $1,930/mo, how Tampa rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Tampa rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Tampa. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Tampa
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Tampa is $1,930/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,703/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,151/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,834/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,753/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($75,475/yr), Tampa ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Tampa?
Is rent going up or down in Tampa?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Tampa?
Has rent outpaced income in Tampa?
Which Tampa neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Tampa rent compare to other cities in Florida?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Tampa?
At $1,930/mo, rent takes ~31% of Tampa's median household income ($75,475/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 Tampa.
No discussions yet.