Rents are 10% below what Atlanta'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 $1,942 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
January. Asking rents in Atlanta usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.9% above it in July, about $33 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Atlanta is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Atlanta changed +3.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 115 Georgia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Atlanta rose 22.6% while median household income rose 42.9% ($59,948 to $85,652). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Atlanta is 27.8% 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 ($85,652) is $2,141 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,048); a 3-bedroom is $2,468.
The priciest of 25 ZIP codes in Atlanta, 30309 ($2,303/mo), costs 1.6 times the cheapest, 30340 ($1,440/mo).
Gresham Park, 6 miles away, rents for 23% less ($1,499/mo), about $5,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Atlanta. 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
Atlanta, GA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 59.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Atlanta, GA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Atlanta, GA has climbed 20.8% since 2021, going from about $1,607 per month to roughly $1,942 today. Household income in the area moved from $69,164 to $85,652 across the same window, up 23.8% versus 2021. Income growth outran rent by about 3.0 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 492,204 to 505,268 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.7% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 55.6% to 59.2%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Atlanta, GA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Atlanta on your salary?
At $1,942/mo, how Atlanta rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Atlanta rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Atlanta. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Atlanta
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Atlanta is $1,942/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,780/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,048/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,851/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,468/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($85,652/yr), Atlanta ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Atlanta?
At $1,942/mo, rent takes ~27% of Atlanta's median household income ($85,652/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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