ZIP 78666
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 78666 usually run 1.4% below trend in December and 1.8% above it in July, about $45 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 78666 is 6.6% below its high of $1,519 in March 2024, at $1,418 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 78666 changed +0.8% 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 78666 rose 26.6% while median household income rose 24% ($44,159 to $54,737). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 78666 is 17.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($54,737) is $1,368 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,250); a 2-bedroom is $1,480.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 78666. 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 78666 (San Marcos, TX) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 35.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 78666 in San Marcos, TX has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 78666 in San Marcos, TX has climbed by $178 per month, settling near $1,418 after starting the period at $1,240. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 78666 in San Marcos, TX now reports about $54,737, up from $44,914 in 2021. Income growth outran rent by about 7.5 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 83,858 to 88,583 between 2021 and 2024, a 5.6% change. About 61.9% of households rent today, against 64.6% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 32% to 35.7%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 78666 in San Marcos, TX reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 78666
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 78666 covers San Marcos, TX. The median rent here is $1,418/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,250/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,480/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($54,737/yr), ZIP 78666 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 78666 compare to the rest of San Marcos?
At $1,418/mo, rent takes ~31% of ZIP 78666's median household income ($54,737/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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