Rents are 12% below what Bend'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 $2,288 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Bend usually run 1.9% below trend in January and 1.8% above it in July, about $85 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Bend is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Bend changed +3.6% over the year to August 2026. Across the 52 Oregon cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Bend rose 43.2% while median household income rose 46.8% ($65,662 to $96,394). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Bend is 44.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($96,394) is $2,410 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,773); a 3-bedroom is $2,483.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Bend, 97703 ($2,742/mo), costs 31% more than the cheapest, 97701 ($2,098/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Bend. 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
Bend, OR is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 52.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bend, OR has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Bend, OR paid around $1,936 a month. That figure now sits near $2,288, up 18.2% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $96,394 today, compared with $74,253 five years earlier. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Bend, OR adding about 6,348 residents over the five-year window, up 6.5% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 46.6% to 52.9% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Bend on your salary?
At $2,288/mo, how Bend rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bend rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bend. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bend
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Bend is $2,288/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,367/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,773/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,403/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,483/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($96,394/yr), Bend ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,288/mo, rent takes ~28% of Bend's median household income ($96,394/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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