ZIP 85201
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 85201 usually run 0.9% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in June, about $22 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 85201 is 2.6% below its high of $1,427 in January 2025, at $1,390 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 85201 changed +1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 171 Arizona ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 85201 rose 45.5% while median household income rose 61% ($41,795 to $67,294). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 85201 is 36.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($67,294) is $1,682 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,670); a 3-bedroom is $2,230.
4th cheapest of 13 ZIP codes in Mesa.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 85201. 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 85201 (Mesa, AZ) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, 27.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 85201 in Mesa, AZ has changed in 5 years
The median rent in ZIP 85201 in Mesa, AZ stood at $1,107 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,390, reflecting a 25.6% increase over the period. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 85201 in Mesa, AZ now reports about $67,294, up from $49,844 in 2021. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. The population has contracted by 3.7% since 2021, moving from about 53,402 residents to roughly 51,400. Renters now make up 60.6% of households, compared with 65.1% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 27.8% of adults here, versus 24.7% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 85201 in Mesa, AZ reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 85201
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 85201 covers Mesa, AZ. The median rent here is $1,390/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,440/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,670/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($67,294/yr), ZIP 85201 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 85201 compare to the rest of Mesa?
At $1,390/mo, rent takes ~25% of ZIP 85201's median household income ($67,294/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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