ZIP Code · MO

ZIP 65203

Part of Columbia, MO

Pop. 61,539·Boone County·77th most expensive ZIP in Missouri

Median rent (all units)

$1,374/mo

Year-over-Year

+6.3%

Month-over-Month

+1.1%

vs US Median

-$558

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 65203 · $1,374

More affordable than 82% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$820

1 BR

$1,040

2 BR

$1,190

3 BR

$1,610

4 BR+

$1,910

Research median

$1,190/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

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 65203 usually run 1% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in April, about $23 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 65203 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

Past year vs. the rest of Missouri

Rent in ZIP 65203 changed +6.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 119 Missouri ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.6%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 65203 rose 46.4% while median household income rose 20.9% ($66,160 to $79,960). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 65203 is 63.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($79,960) is $1,999 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,910).

Rank in Columbia

2nd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Columbia.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 65203. 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.

Annual cost

$16,488/yr

At $1,374/mo median

Location

CityColumbia

StateMO

CountyBoone County

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 6.3% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+6.3% YoY, +1.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 65203 (Columbia, MO) is majority owner-occupied, 64.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

61,539

Median income

$79,960

Median age

35.8

Renters

37.9%

Age distribution

24%

25%

26.1%

13.6%

Under 1824%

18–3425%

35–5426.1%

55–6411.3%

65+13.6%

Gender

50%

Male50%

Female50%

Race & ethnicity

77%

White77%

Black9.5%

Hispanic3.2%

Asian6.4%

Other3.9%

Education (25+)

14.9%

17.9%

64.5%

No HS diploma2.7%

HS diploma14.9%

Some college17.9%

Bachelor's+64.5%

Housing tenure

62.1%

37.9%

Owner62.1%

Renter37.9%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 65203 in Columbia, MO has changed in 5 years

Rent

$889 → $1,374

up 54.6%

Income

$69,207 → $79,960

up 15.5%

Population

58,863 → 61,539

up 4.5%

Renter share

37.4% → 37.9%

+0.5 pts

Bachelor's+

62.6% → 64.5%

+1.9 pts

Median age

36.4 → 35.8

-0.6 yrs

Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 65203 in Columbia, MO has increased from $889 to $1,374, a 54.6% change over five years. Median household income rose from $69,207 to $79,960 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.5% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 4.5% since 2021, moving from about 58,863 residents to roughly 61,539. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 65203 in Columbia, MO 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.

Community

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About renting in ZIP 65203

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 65203 covers Columbia, MO. The median rent here is $1,374/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,040/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,190/mo.

At 21% of local median household income ($79,960/yr), ZIP 65203 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.3% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 65203?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $55,000/year (about $26/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,374/mo in ZIP 65203. The local median household income is $79,960/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 65203?

Rent in ZIP 65203 has risen 6.3% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 65203?

Asking rents in ZIP 65203 are usually lowest in December, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in April, about 0.7% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $23 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 65203?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 65203 rose 46.4% while median household income rose 20.9%, from $66,160 to $79,960. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 65203 compare to other ZIPs in Missouri?

ZIP 65203 is in the middle among Missouri ZIP codes for rent, ranking #77 of 137 at $1,374/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 65203 changed +6.3%, against a typical +4.6% across the 119 Missouri ZIP codes Zillow tracks.