Rents are 2% below what El Paso'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 $1,508 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
January. Asking rents in El Paso usually run 0.5% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in July, about $17 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in El Paso is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in El Paso changed +3.4% 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 El Paso rose 43.3% while median household income rose 25.6% ($47,568 to $59,745). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in El Paso is 47.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($59,745) is $1,494 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,254); a 3-bedroom is $1,735.
The priciest of 15 ZIP codes in El Paso, 79932 ($1,804/mo), costs 1.6 times the cheapest, 79903 ($1,143/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for El Paso. 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
El Paso, TX is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 28.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How El Paso, TX has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in El Paso, TX has increased from $1,106 to $1,508, a 36.3% change over five years. On the earnings side, the typical household in El Paso, TX now reports about $59,745, up from $51,325 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 El Paso, TX reflects that arc in its own way.
Discussions about El Paso
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Can you afford rent in El Paso on your salary?
At $1,508/mo, how El Paso rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
El Paso rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in El Paso. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in El Paso
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in El Paso is $1,508/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $868/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,254/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,074/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,735/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($59,745/yr), El Paso ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than El Paso?
At $1,508/mo, rent takes ~30% of El Paso's median household income ($59,745/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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