Rents are 4% below what Towson'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 $1,871 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 Towson usually run 1% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in July, about $32 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Towson is 0.1% below its high of $1,872 in July 2026, at $1,871 as of September 2026.
Rent in Towson changed +2.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Towson rose 23.8% while median household income rose 14.1% ($88,786 to $101,320). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Towson is 27.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($101,320) is $2,533 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,165); a 3-bedroom is $2,785.
Parkville, 4 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,675/mo), about $2,400 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Towson. 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
Towson, MD is majority owner-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 69.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Towson, MD has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Towson, MD stood at $1,527 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,871, reflecting a 22.5% increase over the period. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $93,435 in 2021 to $101,320 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 44.4% of households, compared with 41.1% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 69.3% of adults here, versus 66.9% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Towson, MD market of 2021.
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At $1,871/mo, how Towson rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Towson rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Towson. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Towson
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Towson is $1,871/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,550/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,165/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,770/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,785/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($101,320/yr), Towson ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Towson rent compare to other cities in Maryland?
At $1,871/mo, rent takes ~22% of Towson's median household income ($101,320/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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