Rents are 5% below what Garfield Heights'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 $1,421 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 Garfield Heights is 1.8% below its high of $1,447 in May 2026, at $1,421 as of September 2026.
Rent in Garfield Heights changed +2.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 93 Ohio cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.3%.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($54,593) is $1,365 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,330); a 3-bedroom is $1,710.
Bedford, 4 miles away, rents for 21% less ($1,119/mo), about $3,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Garfield Heights. 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
Garfield Heights, OH is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 14.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Garfield Heights, OH has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Garfield Heights, OH has shifted from $1,086 to $1,421, up 30.8% since 2023. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $45,189 in 2021 to $54,593 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Garfield Heights, OH losing about 316 residents over the five-year window, down 1.1% on net. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Garfield Heights, OH market of 2023.
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Can you afford rent in Garfield Heights on your salary?
At $1,421/mo, how Garfield Heights rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Garfield Heights rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Garfield Heights. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Garfield Heights
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Garfield Heights is $1,421/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $970/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,330/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,100/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,710/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($54,593/yr), Garfield Heights ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Garfield Heights?
Is rent going up or down in Garfield Heights?
How does Garfield Heights rent compare to other cities in Ohio?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Garfield Heights?
At $1,421/mo, rent takes ~31% of Garfield Heights's median household income ($54,593/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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