City Report · TX

Abilene

Pop. 128,053·39th most expensive in Texas·Abilene rents are up 31.5% over the past year

Median rent (all units)

$1,988/mo

Year-over-Year

+31.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.8%

vs US Median

+$56

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Abilene · $1,988

More expensive than 60% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

38% of income

MODERATE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,988/mo, rent takes about 38% of the local median household income, slightly above the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$80,000/yr

Local median income

$62,648/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Abilene's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$922

1 BR

$926

2 BR

$1,178

3 BR

$1,536

4 BR+

$1,854

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,178/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,988 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

January. Asking rents in Abilene usually run 0.9% below trend in January and 1% above it in June, about $38 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in Abilene is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

Past year vs. the rest of Texas

Rent in Abilene changed +31.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in Abilene rose 36.5% while median household income rose 23.7% ($50,659 to $62,648). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in Abilene is 106.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 21 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($62,648) is $1,566 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,536); a 4-bedroom is $1,854.

Spread across ZIP codes

The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Abilene, 79602 ($2,276/mo), costs 36% more than the cheapest, 79605 ($1,677/mo).

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Abilene. 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.

Annual cost

$23,856/yr

At $1,988/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 31.5% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+31.5% YoY, +0.8% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Abilene, TX is majority owner-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 27.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

128,053

Median income

$62,648

Median age

32.8

Renters

43.9%

Age distribution

23%

30.6%

22.4%

13.9%

Under 1823%

18–3430.6%

35–5422.4%

55–6410.1%

65+13.9%

Gender

51.4%

48.6%

Male51.4%

Female48.6%

Race & ethnicity

63.4%

27.1%

White63.4%

Black10.3%

Hispanic27.1%

Asian2.4%

Education (25+)

12.3%

30.3%

30%

27.3%

No HS diploma12.3%

HS diploma30.3%

Some college30%

Bachelor's+27.3%

Housing tenure

56.1%

43.9%

Owner56.1%

Renter43.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Abilene, TX has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,037 → $1,988

up 91.7%

Income

$54,493 → $62,648

up 15.0%

Population

125,474 → 128,053

up 2.1%

Renter share

45.5% → 43.9%

-1.6 pts

Bachelor's+

26% → 27.3%

+1.3 pts

Median age

32.1 → 32.8

+0.7 yrs

Since 2021, the typical rent in Abilene, TX has climbed from $1,037 to $1,988, a 91.7% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $62,648 today, compared with $54,493 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 2.1% since 2021, moving from about 125,474 residents to roughly 128,053. Renters now make up 43.9% of households, compared with 45.5% five years ago. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.

Community

Discussions about Abilene

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View Abilene rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Abilene on your salary?

At $1,988/mo, how Abilene rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $93,535/yr · Rent = 25.5% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $66,409/yr · Rent = 35.9% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $76,497/yr · Rent = 31.2% income

stretched

Software Developer

Avg $136,729/yr · Rent = 17.4% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $174,705/yr · Rent = 13.7% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $62,182/yr · Rent = 38.4% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $56,143/yr · Rent = 42.5% income

rent-burdened

Electrician

Avg $69,201/yr · Rent = 34.5% income

stretched

By apartment size

Abilene rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Abilene. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Abilene

About renting in Abilene, TX

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Abilene is $1,988/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $922/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,178/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $926/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,536/mo.

At 38% of local median household income ($62,648/yr), Abilene ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 31.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Abilene?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $80,000/year (about $38/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,988/mo in Abilene. The local median household income is $62,648/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Abilene?

Rent in Abilene has risen 31.5% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

When is the cheapest time to rent in Abilene?

Asking rents in Abilene are usually lowest in January, about 0.9% below their yearly trend, and highest in June, about 1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $38 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in Abilene?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in Abilene rose 36.5% while median household income rose 23.7%, from $50,659 to $62,648. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

Which Abilene neighborhoods have the lowest rent?

The most affordable ZIP codes in Abilene are 79605 ($1,677/mo), 79603 ($1,868/mo), and 79601 ($2,044/mo). Citywide, the median rent is $1,988/mo.

How does Abilene rent compare to other cities in Texas?

Abilene is one of the pricier among Texas cities for rent, ranking #39 of 257 tracked cities at $1,988/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Abilene changed +31.5%, against a typical +1.0% across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks.