ZIP Code · TX

ZIP 77042

Part of Houston, TX

Pop. 38,721·Harris County·623rd most expensive ZIP in Texas

Median rent (all units)

$1,185/mo

Year-over-Year

-0.2%

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

-$747

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 77042 · $1,185

More affordable than 92% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$874

1 BR

$900

2 BR

$1,074

3 BR

$1,447

4 BR+

$1,800

Research median

$1,074/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

January. Asking rents in ZIP 77042 usually run 1% below trend in January and 1% above it in August, about $24 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 77042 is 2.3% below its high of $1,213 in February 2025, at $1,185 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Texas

Rent in ZIP 77042 changed -0.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 629 Texas ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.2%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 77042 rose 20.4% while median household income rose 18.8% ($49,726 to $59,097). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 77042 is 15.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($59,097) is $1,477 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,400); a 2-bedroom is $1,670.

Rank in Houston

15th cheapest of 92 ZIP codes in Houston.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 77036, 3 miles away, rents for 21% less ($934/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 77042. 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

$14,220/yr

At $1,185/mo median

Location

CityHouston

StateTX

CountyHarris County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (-0.2% YoY, +0.0% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 77042 (Houston, TX) is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 45.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

38,721

Median income

$59,097

Median age

34.4

Renters

73.7%

Age distribution

22%

29.6%

29.8%

Under 1822%

18–3429.6%

35–5429.8%

55–648.1%

65+10.4%

Gender

50.3%

49.7%

Male50.3%

Female49.7%

Race & ethnicity

34.5%

23.5%

36%

White34.5%

Black23.5%

Hispanic36%

Asian8.5%

Education (25+)

19.6%

24.7%

45.3%

No HS diploma10.4%

HS diploma19.6%

Some college24.7%

Bachelor's+45.3%

Housing tenure

26.3%

73.7%

Owner26.3%

Renter73.7%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 77042 in Houston, TX has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,016 → $1,185

up 16.6%

Income

$48,801 → $59,097

up 21.1%

Population

40,861 → 38,721

down 5.2%

Renter share

73% → 73.7%

+0.7 pts

Bachelor's+

45.1% → 45.3%

+0.2 pts

Median age

33.4 → 34.4

+1.0 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 77042 in Houston, TX has increased by $169 per month, settling near $1,185 after starting the period at $1,016. Census figures show median household income at $59,097 today, compared with $48,801 five years earlier. Income growth outran rent by about 4.5 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 40,861 to 38,721 between 2021 and 2024, a 5.2% change. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.

Community

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About renting in ZIP 77042

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 77042 covers Houston, TX. The median rent here is $1,185/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $900/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,074/mo.

At 24% of local median household income ($59,097/yr), ZIP 77042 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.2% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 77042?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $47,000/year (about $23/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,185/mo in ZIP 77042. The local median household income is $59,097/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 77042?

Rent in ZIP 77042 has been roughly flat over the past year as of September 2026, a -0.2% change. It sits 2.3% below its high of $1,213 in February 2025.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 77042?

Asking rents in ZIP 77042 are usually lowest in January, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $24 a month. This pattern comes from 10 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 77042?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 77042 rose 20.4% while median household income rose 18.8%, from $49,726 to $59,097. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 77042 compare to other ZIPs in Texas?

ZIP 77042 is one of the more affordable among Texas ZIP codes for rent, ranking #623 of 693 at $1,185/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 77042 changed -0.2%, against a typical +1.2% across the 629 Texas ZIP codes Zillow tracks.