Rents are 2% below what Payson'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 $1,550 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 Payson is 2.7% below its high of $1,593 in April 2026, at $1,550 as of September 2026.
Rent in Payson changed +3.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 44 Utah cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.8%.
Rent has fallen 5 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($89,905) is $2,248 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,930); a 4-bedroom is $2,320.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Payson. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Payson, UT is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 27.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Payson, UT has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Payson, UT stood at $1,216 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,550, reflecting a 27.5% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $75,682 to $89,905 between 2021 and 2024, a 18.8% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 9.2% since 2021, moving from about 21,093 residents to roughly 23,039. Renters now make up 17.9% of households, compared with 19.9% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 27.9% of adults here, versus 24.7% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Payson, UT 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.
Discussions about Payson
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Payson on your salary?
At $1,550/mo, how Payson rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Payson rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Payson. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Payson
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Payson is $1,550/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,190/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,380/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,190/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,930/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($89,905/yr), Payson ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Payson?
Is rent going up or down in Payson?
How does Payson rent compare to other cities in Utah?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Payson?
At $1,550/mo, rent takes ~21% of Payson's median household income ($89,905/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Payson.
No discussions yet.