Rents are 3% below what Watauga'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 $2,033 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
Rent in Watauga is 0% below its high of $2,034 in August 2026, at $2,033 as of September 2026.
Rent in Watauga changed +3.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($91,171) is $2,279 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,200); a 3-bedroom is $2,910.
North Richland Hills, 2 miles away, rents for 23% less ($1,557/mo), about $5,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Watauga. 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
Watauga, TX is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 24.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Watauga, TX has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Watauga, TX paid around $1,756 a month. That figure now sits near $2,033, up 15.8% from the 2022 baseline. Median household income climbed from $78,379 to $91,171 between 2021 and 2024, a 16.3% shift. Census counts show Watauga, TX losing about 416 residents over the five-year window, down 1.8% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 22.2% to 24.2% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Watauga, 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 Watauga on your salary?
At $2,033/mo, how Watauga rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Watauga rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Watauga. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Watauga
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Watauga is $2,033/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,770/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,200/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,890/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,910/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($91,171/yr), Watauga ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Watauga?
Is rent going up or down in Watauga?
How does Watauga rent compare to other cities in Texas?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Watauga?
At $2,033/mo, rent takes ~27% of Watauga's median household income ($91,171/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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