Rents are 6% below what Harlingen'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 $1,157 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 Harlingen usually run 0.4% below trend in December and 0.5% above it in June, about $10 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Harlingen is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in July 2017.
Rent in Harlingen changed +2.2% 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 Harlingen rose 35.1% while median household income rose 34.9% ($39,752 to $53,645). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Harlingen is 37.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($53,645) is $1,341 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,335); a 4-bedroom is $1,380.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Harlingen. 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
Harlingen, TX is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 22.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Harlingen, TX has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Harlingen, TX has increased by $285 per month, settling near $1,157 after starting the period at $872. On the earnings side, the typical household in Harlingen, TX now reports about $53,645, up from $46,507 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 17.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 71,124 to 72,087 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.4% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 20.2% to 22.6%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Harlingen, TX reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,157/mo, how Harlingen rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Harlingen rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Harlingen. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Harlingen
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Harlingen is $1,157/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $705/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,000/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $800/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,335/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($53,645/yr), Harlingen ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Harlingen rent compare to other cities in Texas?
At $1,157/mo, rent takes ~26% of Harlingen's median household income ($53,645/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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