ZIP Code · AZ

ZIP 85202

Part of Mesa, AZ

Pop. 38,750·Maricopa County·160th most expensive ZIP in Arizona

Median rent (all units)

$1,310/mo

Year-over-Year

-1.5%

Month-over-Month

-0.5%

vs US Median

-$622

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 85202 · $1,310

More affordable than 86% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$961

1 BR

$1,039

2 BR

$1,209

3 BR

$1,615

4 BR+

$1,791

Research median

$1,209/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 85202 usually run 1.3% below trend in December and 1% above it in July, about $30 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 85202 is 7.5% below its high of $1,416 in July 2022, at $1,310 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Arizona

Rent in ZIP 85202 changed -1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 171 Arizona ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.6%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 85202 rose 38.4% while median household income rose 39.8% ($51,232 to $71,619). Income kept ahead of rent.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 85202 is 26.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has fallen 5 months in a row, and rose in 4 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($71,619) is $1,790 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,590); a 2-bedroom is $1,850.

Rank in Mesa

2nd cheapest of 13 ZIP codes in Mesa.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 85202. 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

$15,720/yr

At $1,310/mo median

Location

CityMesa

StateAZ

CountyMaricopa County

Rent Market Meter

Renter's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are softening (down 1.5% YoY), so renters have negotiating leverage.

Based on rent-price momentum (-1.5% YoY, -0.5% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 85202 (Mesa, AZ) is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 34.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

38,750

Median income

$71,619

Median age

33.7

Renters

49.3%

Age distribution

20.5%

32.7%

24%

Under 1820.5%

18–3432.7%

35–5424%

55–6411.2%

65+11.7%

Gender

51.9%

48.1%

Male51.9%

Female48.1%

Race & ethnicity

58.2%

32.8%

White58.2%

Black6.2%

Hispanic32.8%

Asian3%

Education (25+)

20.6%

36.7%

34.6%

No HS diploma8%

HS diploma20.6%

Some college36.7%

Bachelor's+34.6%

Housing tenure

50.7%

49.3%

Owner50.7%

Renter49.3%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 85202 in Mesa, AZ has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,187 → $1,310

up 10.4%

Income

$56,652 → $71,619

up 26.4%

Population

38,663 → 38,750

up 0.2%

Renter share

52.1% → 49.3%

-2.8 pts

Bachelor's+

31.2% → 34.6%

+3.4 pts

Median age

33.1 → 33.7

+0.6 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 85202 in Mesa, AZ has climbed by $123 per month, settling near $1,310 after starting the period at $1,187. Census figures show median household income at $71,619 today, compared with $56,652 five years earlier. Income growth outran rent by about 16.0 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. About 49.3% of households rent today, against 52.1% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 31.2% to 34.6%. 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 85202

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 85202 covers Mesa, AZ. The median rent here is $1,310/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,039/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,209/mo.

At 22% of local median household income ($71,619/yr), ZIP 85202 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 1.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 85202?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $52,000/year (about $25/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,310/mo in ZIP 85202. The local median household income is $71,619/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 85202?

Rent in ZIP 85202 has fallen 1.5% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 7.5% below its high of $1,416 in July 2022.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 85202?

Asking rents in ZIP 85202 are usually lowest in December, about 1.3% below their yearly trend, and highest in July, about 1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $30 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 85202?

No. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 85202 rose 38.4% while median household income rose 39.8%, from $51,232 to $71,619. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 85202 compare to other ZIPs in Arizona?

ZIP 85202 is one of the more affordable among Arizona ZIP codes for rent, ranking #160 of 183 at $1,310/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 85202 changed -1.5%, against a typical +1.6% across the 171 Arizona ZIP codes Zillow tracks.