ZIP Code · NY

ZIP 12206

Part of Albany, NY

Pop. 14,572·Albany County·246th most expensive ZIP in New York

Median rent (all units)

$1,784/mo

Year-over-Year

+3.7%

Month-over-Month

+0.8%

vs US Median

-$148

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 12206 · $1,784

More affordable than 52% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,210

1 BR

$1,410

2 BR

$1,690

3 BR

$2,030

4 BR+

$2,240

Research median

$1,690/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 12206 is 0.1% below its high of $1,786 in May 2026, at $1,784 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of New York

Rent in ZIP 12206 changed +3.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 251 New York ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.6%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($41,548) is $1,039 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,210).

Rank in Albany

6th cheapest of 8 ZIP codes in Albany.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 12210, 2 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,474/mo), about $3,700 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 12206. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$21,408/yr

At $1,784/mo median

Location

CityAlbany

StateNY

CountyAlbany County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (3.7% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+3.7% YoY, +0.8% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 12206 (Albany, NY) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 30.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

14,572

Median income

$41,548

Median age

Renters

73.4%

Age distribution

18.3%

36.8%

22.2%

Under 1818.3%

18–3436.8%

35–5422.2%

55–6411.7%

65+11.1%

Gender

53.2%

46.8%

Male53.2%

Female46.8%

Race & ethnicity

34.6%

38.7%

White34.6%

Black38.7%

Hispanic10.8%

Asian11.3%

Other4.6%

Education (25+)

32.2%

25.9%

30.7%

No HS diploma11.2%

HS diploma32.2%

Some college25.9%

Bachelor's+30.7%

Housing tenure

26.6%

73.4%

Owner26.6%

Renter73.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2023 vs 2026

How ZIP 12206 in Albany, NY has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,524 → $1,784

up 17.1%

Income

$32,994 → $41,548

up 25.9%

Population

15,693 → 14,572

down 7.1%

Renter share

77.4% → 73.4%

-4.0 pts

Bachelor's+

22% → 30.7%

+8.7 pts

Median age

30.3 → 32

+1.7 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 12206 in Albany, NY has shifted from $1,524 to $1,784, up 17.1% since 2023. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $32,994 in 2021 to $41,548 more recently. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show ZIP 12206 in Albany, NY losing about 1,121 residents over the five-year window, down 7.1% on net. The renter share has eased from 77.4% to 73.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 22% to 30.7% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 12206 in Albany, NY market of 2023.

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About renting in ZIP 12206

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 12206 covers Albany, NY. The median rent here is $1,784/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,410/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,690/mo.

At 52% of local median household income ($41,548/yr), ZIP 12206 ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 12206?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $71,000/year (about $34/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,784/mo in ZIP 12206. The local median household income is $41,548/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 12206?

Rent in ZIP 12206 has risen 3.7% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.1% below its high of $1,786 in May 2026.

How does ZIP 12206 compare to other ZIPs in New York?

ZIP 12206 is one of the more affordable among New York ZIP codes for rent, ranking #246 of 334 at $1,784/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 12206 changed +3.7%, against a typical +5.6% across the 251 New York ZIP codes Zillow tracks.