Rents are right about where Tonawanda'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 $1,306 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 Tonawanda is 1% below its high of $1,319 in March 2026, at $1,306 as of September 2026.
Rent in Tonawanda changed +1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 82 New York cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($58,326) is $1,458 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,210); a 3-bedroom is $1,480.
Lockport, 14 miles away, rents for 22% less ($1,025/mo), about $3,400 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tonawanda. 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
Tonawanda, NY is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 39.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Tonawanda, NY has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2022, rent in Tonawanda, NY has climbed by $130 per month, settling near $1,306 after starting the period at $1,176. Median household income grew from $56,112 to $58,326 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.9% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 7.2 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 15,132 to 56,806 between 2021 and 2024, a 275.4% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 23% to 39.4%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Tonawanda, NY 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 Tonawanda on your salary?
At $1,306/mo, how Tonawanda rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Tonawanda rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Tonawanda. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Tonawanda
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Tonawanda is $1,306/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,000/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,210/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,030/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,480/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($58,326/yr), Tonawanda ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Tonawanda?
Is rent going up or down in Tonawanda?
How does Tonawanda rent compare to other cities in New York?
At $1,306/mo, rent takes ~27% of Tonawanda's median household income ($58,326/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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