Rents are 2% below what Elizabethtown'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 $1,510 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 Elizabethtown is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2023.
Rent in Elizabethtown changed +4.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 114 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.6%.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($76,105) is $1,903 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,820).
Columbia, 11 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,347/mo), about $2,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Elizabethtown. 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
Elizabethtown, PA is majority owner-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, 31.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Elizabethtown, PA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Elizabethtown, PA has shifted from $1,243 to $1,510, up 21.5% since 2023. On the earnings side, the typical household in Elizabethtown, PA now reports about $76,105, up from $61,803 in 2021. Census counts show Elizabethtown, PA adding about 351 residents over the five-year window, up 3.0% on net. The renter share has eased from 48.9% to 41.8%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 29.1% to 31.4% across the same window. For context, the 2023 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Elizabethtown, PA reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,510/mo, how Elizabethtown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Elizabethtown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Elizabethtown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Elizabethtown
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Elizabethtown is $1,510/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $970/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,380/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,100/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,800/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($76,105/yr), Elizabethtown ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Elizabethtown?
Is rent going up or down in Elizabethtown?
How does Elizabethtown rent compare to other cities in Pennsylvania?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Elizabethtown?
At $1,510/mo, rent takes ~24% of Elizabethtown's median household income ($76,105/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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