Rents are 6% below what Harrisburg'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 $1,388 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 Harrisburg usually run 0.5% below trend in February and 0.4% above it in September, about $12 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Harrisburg is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Harrisburg changed +2.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 114 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Harrisburg rose 41% while median household income rose 21.2% ($39,685 to $48,099). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Harrisburg is 43.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($48,099) is $1,202 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,107); a 2-bedroom is $1,363.
The priciest of 9 ZIP codes in Harrisburg, 17111 ($1,649/mo), costs 32% more than the cheapest, 17113 ($1,245/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Harrisburg. 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
Harrisburg, PA is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 25.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Harrisburg, PA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Harrisburg, PA has increased by $343 per month, settling near $1,388 after starting the period at $1,045. Household income in the area moved from $44,444 to $48,099 across the same window, up 8.2% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 24.6 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 22.5% to 25.9%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Harrisburg, PA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Harrisburg
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Harrisburg on your salary?
At $1,388/mo, how Harrisburg rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Harrisburg rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Harrisburg. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Harrisburg
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Harrisburg is $1,388/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $948/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,363/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,107/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,753/mo.
At 35% of local median household income ($48,099/yr), Harrisburg ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Harrisburg?
Is rent going up or down in Harrisburg?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Harrisburg?
Has rent outpaced income in Harrisburg?
Which Harrisburg neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Harrisburg rent compare to other cities in Pennsylvania?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Harrisburg?
At $1,388/mo, rent takes ~35% of Harrisburg's median household income ($48,099/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 Harrisburg.
No discussions yet.