Rents are 3% below what Middletown'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 $1,287 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 Middletown is 0.4% below its high of $1,292 in August 2026, at $1,287 as of September 2026.
Rent in Middletown changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 93 Ohio cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.3%.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($57,102) is $1,428 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,210); a 3-bedroom is $1,600.
Reading, 21 miles away, rents for 19% less ($1,045/mo), about $2,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Middletown. 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
Middletown, OH is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 17.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Middletown, OH has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Middletown, OH paid around $1,028 a month. That figure now sits near $1,287, up 25.2% from the 2022 baseline. Median household income climbed from $47,116 to $57,102 between 2021 and 2024, a 21.2% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Middletown, OH adding about 1,503 residents over the five-year window, up 3.0% on net. Taken together, the five-year picture in Middletown, OH 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 Middletown on your salary?
At $1,287/mo, how Middletown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Middletown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Middletown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Middletown
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Middletown is $1,287/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $830/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,210/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $930/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,600/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($57,102/yr), Middletown ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Middletown rent compare to other cities in Ohio?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Middletown?
At $1,287/mo, rent takes ~27% of Middletown's median household income ($57,102/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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