Rents are 3% above what Elkhart's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
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 $1,185 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
Rent in Elkhart is 0.3% below its high of $1,189 in August 2026, at $1,185 as of September 2026.
Rent in Elkhart changed +5.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 49 Indiana cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.5%.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($51,028) is $1,276 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,055); a 3-bedroom is $1,375.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Elkhart. 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
Elkhart, IN is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 17.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Elkhart, IN has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Elkhart, IN paid around $1,005 a month. That figure now sits near $1,185, up 17.9% from the 2023 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Elkhart, IN now reports about $51,028, up from $43,868 in 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 15.4% to 17.7% across the same window. For context, the 2023 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Elkhart, IN reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,185/mo, how Elkhart rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Elkhart rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Elkhart. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Elkhart
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Elkhart is $1,185/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $855/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,055/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $870/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,375/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($51,028/yr), Elkhart ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,185/mo, rent takes ~28% of Elkhart's median household income ($51,028/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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