Rents are 4% above what Watertown'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 $1,546 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 Watertown is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2022.
Rent in Watertown changed +8.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 82 New York cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($51,753) is $1,294 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,230); a 3-bedroom is $1,660.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Watertown. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Watertown, NY is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 26.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Watertown, NY has changed in 5 years
Since 2022, the typical rent in Watertown, NY has climbed from $1,224 to $1,546, a 26.3% change over five years. Median household income rose from $46,051 to $51,753 between 2021 and 2024, a 12.4% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 3.2% since 2021, moving from about 25,172 residents to roughly 24,375. College-educated residents now make up 26.6% of adults here, versus 24.4% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Watertown, 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.
Discussions about Watertown
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Watertown on your salary?
At $1,546/mo, how Watertown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Watertown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Watertown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Watertown
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Watertown is $1,546/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $830/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,230/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $940/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,660/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($51,753/yr), Watertown ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 8.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Watertown?
Is rent going up or down in Watertown?
How does Watertown rent compare to other cities in New York?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Watertown?
At $1,546/mo, rent takes ~36% of Watertown's median household income ($51,753/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Watertown.
No discussions yet.