Rents are 3% below what Muncie'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 $1,043 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
March. Asking rents in Muncie usually run 0.7% below trend in March and 1.1% above it in November, about $19 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Muncie is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2017.
Rent in Muncie changed +5.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 49 Indiana cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Muncie rose 42.1% while median household income rose 31% ($33,944 to $44,471). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Muncie is 59.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 14 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($44,471) is $1,112 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($978); a 3-bedroom is $1,283.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Muncie, 47304 ($1,210/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 47305 ($808/mo).
New Castle, 19 miles away, rents for 18% less ($854/mo), about $2,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Muncie. 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
Muncie, IN is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 26.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Muncie, IN has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Muncie, IN has climbed by $317 per month, settling near $1,043 after starting the period at $726. On the earnings side, the typical household in Muncie, IN now reports about $44,471, up from $36,661 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 22.4 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 65,571 to 64,751 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.3% change. About 48% of households rent today, against 50.8% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Muncie, IN reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Muncie on your salary?
At $1,043/mo, how Muncie rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Muncie rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Muncie. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Muncie
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Muncie is $1,043/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $735/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $978/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $800/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,283/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($44,471/yr), Muncie 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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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Muncie?
At $1,043/mo, rent takes ~28% of Muncie's median household income ($44,471/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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