Rents are right about where Rolla's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $829 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 Rolla is 2% below its high of $846 in June 2026, at $829 as of September 2026.
Rent in Rolla changed +4.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 60 Missouri cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.4%.
Rent has fallen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($46,204) is $1,155 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($890); a 3-bedroom is $1,170.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rolla. 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
Rolla, MO is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 35.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rolla, MO has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Rolla, MO paid around $692 a month. That figure now sits near $829, up 19.8% from the 2023 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $46,204 today, compared with $37,426 five years earlier. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Rolla, MO adding about 338 residents over the five-year window, up 1.7% on net. The renter share has risen from 56.9% to 60.6%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 37.6% to 35.6% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2023.
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Can you afford rent in Rolla on your salary?
At $829/mo, how Rolla rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rolla rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rolla. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rolla
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rolla is $829/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $680/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $890/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $690/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,170/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($46,204/yr), Rolla ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Rolla?
Is rent going up or down in Rolla?
How does Rolla rent compare to other cities in Missouri?
At $829/mo, rent takes ~22% of Rolla's median household income ($46,204/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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