Rents are 4% below what Greenbelt'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 $2,098 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 Greenbelt usually run 1.2% below trend in March and 1.1% above it in July, about $48 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Greenbelt is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2021.
Rent in Greenbelt changed +3.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($85,997) is $2,150 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,980); a 2-bedroom is $2,230.
New Carrollton, 2 miles away, rents for 18% less ($1,714/mo), about $4,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Greenbelt. 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
Greenbelt, MD is roughly split between renters and owners, 45.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Greenbelt, MD has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Greenbelt, MD stood at $1,734 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,098, reflecting a 21.0% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $75,832 to $85,997 between 2021 and 2024, a 13.4% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 52.9% of households, compared with 50% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 45.3% of adults here, versus 48.1% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Greenbelt, MD 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.
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At $2,098/mo, how Greenbelt rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Greenbelt rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Greenbelt. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Greenbelt
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Greenbelt is $2,098/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,940/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,230/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,980/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,790/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($85,997/yr), Greenbelt 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 Greenbelt?
At $2,098/mo, rent takes ~29% of Greenbelt's median household income ($85,997/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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