Rents are 3% above what University City'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 $1,517 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
February. Asking rents in University City usually run 0.6% below trend in February and 0.7% above it in June, about $20 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in University City is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2015.
Rent in University City changed +6.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 60 Missouri cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.4%.
Rent in University City is 52.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($80,694) is $2,017 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,770); a 4-bedroom is $2,040.
Overland, 3 miles away, rents for 20% less ($1,217/mo), about $3,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for University City. 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
University City, MO is majority owner-occupied, 64.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How University City, MO has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in University City, MO has shifted from $1,070 to $1,517, up 41.8% since 2021. Median household income climbed from $66,830 to $80,694 between 2021 and 2024, a 20.7% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 45.4% to 43.8%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 61.2% to 64.9% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in University City, MO 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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Can you afford rent in University City on your salary?
At $1,517/mo, how University City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
University City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in University City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in University City
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in University City is $1,517/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,070/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,370/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,110/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,770/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($80,694/yr), University City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than University City?
At $1,517/mo, rent takes ~23% of University City's median household income ($80,694/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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