Rents are 8% below what Carlisle'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 $1,391 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
February. Asking rents in Carlisle usually run 1.4% below trend in February and 1.4% above it in July, about $39 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Carlisle is 0.1% below its high of $1,392 in July 2026, at $1,391 as of September 2026.
Rent in Carlisle changed +2.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 114 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.6%.
30% of the median household income ($61,720) is $1,543 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,220); a 3-bedroom is $1,570.
Shippensburg, 21 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,161/mo), about $2,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Carlisle. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Carlisle, PA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 37.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Carlisle, PA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Carlisle, PA has increased by $400 per month, settling near $1,391 after starting the period at $991. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $52,098 in 2021 to $61,720 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 21.9 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 19,869 to 21,852 between 2021 and 2024, a 10.0% change. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Carlisle, PA market of 2021.
Discussions about Carlisle
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Carlisle on your salary?
At $1,391/mo, how Carlisle rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Carlisle rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Carlisle. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Carlisle
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Carlisle is $1,391/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $850/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,220/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $990/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,570/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($61,720/yr), Carlisle ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Carlisle?
Is rent going up or down in Carlisle?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Carlisle?
How does Carlisle rent compare to other cities in Pennsylvania?
At $1,391/mo, rent takes ~27% of Carlisle's median household income ($61,720/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 Carlisle.
No discussions yet.