Rents are 5% below what Houston'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 $1,561 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: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Houston, TX is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 36.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Houston, TX has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Houston, TX has climbed by $242 per month, settling near $1,561 after starting the period at $1,319. Median household income grew from $56,019 to $64,813 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.7% shift. Headcount in the area went from 2,293,288 to 2,328,253 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.5% change. Taken together, the five-year picture in Houston, TX reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Houston on your salary?
At $1,561/mo, how Houston rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Houston rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Houston. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Houston
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Houston is $1,561/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,264/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,577/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,320/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,102/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($64,813/yr), Houston ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston an affordable city for renters?
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Is rent going up or down in Houston?
Which Houston neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Houston rent compare to other cities in Texas?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Houston?
What percentage of Houston residents rent vs. own?
How does Houston rent compare to the national average?
At $1,561/mo, rent takes ~29% of Houston's median household income ($64,813/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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