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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in ZIP 76542 usually run 0.6% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in July, about $17 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 76542 is 1.4% below its high of $1,463 in May 2025, at $1,443 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 76542 changed -0.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 629 Texas ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 76542 rose 41% while median household income rose 18% ($62,751 to $74,055). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 76542 is 39.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($74,055) is $1,851 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,360); a 3-bedroom is $1,890.
4th cheapest of 4 ZIP codes in Killeen.
ZIP 76541, 7 miles away, rents for 39% less ($878/mo), about $6,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 76542. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 76542 (Killeen, TX) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 28.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 76542 in Killeen, TX has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 76542 in Killeen, TX has climbed from $1,166 to $1,443, a 23.8% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $74,055 today, compared with $65,433 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 6.7% since 2021, moving from about 50,527 residents to roughly 53,892. Renters now make up 34.7% of households, compared with 41.5% five years ago. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 76542
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 76542 covers Killeen, TX. The median rent here is $1,443/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,090/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,360/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($74,055/yr), ZIP 76542 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 76542 compare to other ZIPs in Texas?
How does ZIP 76542 compare to the rest of Killeen?
At $1,443/mo, rent takes ~23% of ZIP 76542's median household income ($74,055/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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