Rents are 4% below what Baytown'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 $1,491 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 Baytown usually run 0.9% below trend in February and 0.7% above it in July, about $24 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Baytown is 1.2% below its high of $1,509 in July 2026, at $1,491 as of September 2026.
Rent in Baytown changed -0.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Baytown rose 22.8% while median household income rose 4.6% ($57,270 to $59,910). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Baytown is 24.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($59,910) is $1,498 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,417); a 3-bedroom is $1,890.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Baytown, 77523 ($2,035/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 77520 ($1,190/mo).
Webster, 20 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,337/mo), about $1,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Baytown. 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
Baytown, TX is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 14.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Baytown, TX has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Baytown, TX has climbed from $1,240 to $1,491, a 20.2% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $56,409 in 2021 to $59,910 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 3.2% since 2021, moving from about 82,543 residents to roughly 85,205. Renters now make up 47.7% of households, compared with 45.2% five years ago. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Baytown, TX market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Baytown on your salary?
At $1,491/mo, how Baytown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Baytown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Baytown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Baytown
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Baytown is $1,491/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,137/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,417/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,187/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,890/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($59,910/yr), Baytown ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Baytown rent compare to other cities in Texas?
At $1,491/mo, rent takes ~30% of Baytown's median household income ($59,910/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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