Rents are 10% below what West Palm 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 $2,377 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
July. Asking rents in West Palm Beach usually run 0.6% below trend in July and 0.4% above it in February, about $24 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in West Palm Beach is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in West Palm Beach changed +3.8% over the year to August 2026. Across the 268 Florida cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in West Palm Beach rose 57.6% while median household income rose 35.2% ($54,334 to $73,446). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in West Palm Beach is 63.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($73,446) is $1,836 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,720); a 2-bedroom is $2,054.
The priciest of 7 ZIP codes in West Palm Beach, 33405 ($2,825/mo), costs 36% more than the cheapest, 33409 ($2,071/mo).
Century Village, 2 miles away, rents for 39% less ($1,451/mo), about $11,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for West Palm 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
West Palm Beach, FL is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large retiree population, 39.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How West Palm Beach, FL has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in West Palm Beach, FL has climbed from $1,624 to $2,377, a 46.4% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $73,446 today, compared with $56,549 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 5.5% since 2021, moving from about 115,877 residents to roughly 122,290. College-educated residents now make up 39.2% of adults here, versus 36.8% in 2021. 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 West Palm Beach on your salary?
At $2,377/mo, how West Palm Beach rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
West Palm Beach rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in West Palm Beach. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in West Palm Beach
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in West Palm Beach is $2,377/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,539/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,054/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,720/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,684/mo.
At 39% of local median household income ($73,446/yr), West Palm Beach ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than West Palm Beach?
At $2,377/mo, rent takes ~39% of West Palm Beach's median household income ($73,446/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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