Rents are 5% below what Fairborn'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 $1,500 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
December. Asking rents in Fairborn usually run 1% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in August, about $26 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Fairborn is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2018.
Rent in Fairborn changed +9.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 93 Ohio cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Fairborn rose 48.3% while median household income rose 30.2% ($47,440 to $61,751). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Fairborn is 60.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($61,751) is $1,544 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,430); a 4-bedroom is $1,590.
Huber Heights, 7 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,249/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fairborn. 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
Fairborn, OH is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 30.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fairborn, OH has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Fairborn, OH has increased from $1,019 to $1,500, a 47.2% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $61,751 today, compared with $54,076 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 48.8% of households, compared with 50.9% five years ago. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $1,500/mo, how Fairborn rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fairborn rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fairborn. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fairborn
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fairborn is $1,500/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $800/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,110/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $870/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,430/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($61,751/yr), Fairborn ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 9.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,500/mo, rent takes ~29% of Fairborn's median household income ($61,751/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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