Rents are 6% below what Norristown'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 $1,785 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
December. Asking rents in Norristown usually run 0.8% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in August, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Norristown is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2016.
Rent in Norristown changed +4.8% 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 Norristown rose 41.8% while median household income rose 37.8% ($48,414 to $66,701). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Norristown is 46.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($66,701) is $1,668 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,620); a 2-bedroom is $1,925.
Hatfield, 11 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,517/mo), about $3,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Norristown. 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
Norristown, PA is majority renter-occupied, 23.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Norristown, PA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Norristown, PA has increased from $1,311 to $1,785, a 36.2% change over five years. On the earnings side, the typical household in Norristown, PA now reports about $66,701, up from $55,354 in 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Norristown, PA reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,785/mo, how Norristown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Norristown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Norristown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Norristown
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Norristown is $1,785/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,465/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,925/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,620/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,315/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($66,701/yr), Norristown ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Norristown rent compare to other cities in Pennsylvania?
At $1,785/mo, rent takes ~32% of Norristown's median household income ($66,701/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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