ZIP Code · AZ

ZIP 85204

Part of Mesa, AZ

Pop. 65,155·Maricopa County·153rd most expensive ZIP in Arizona

Median rent (all units)

$1,376/mo

Year-over-Year

-0.2%

Month-over-Month

+0.4%

vs US Median

-$556

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 85204 · $1,376

More affordable than 82% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,350

1 BR

$1,460

2 BR

$1,700

3 BR

$2,270

4 BR+

$2,510

Research median

$1,700/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 85204 usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in August, about $18 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 85204 is 3.6% below its high of $1,427 in April 2025, at $1,376 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Arizona

Rent in ZIP 85204 changed -0.2% 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 85204 rose 44% while median household income rose 36.1% ($53,061 to $72,216). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 85204 is 32.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($72,216) is $1,805 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,700); a 3-bedroom is $2,270.

Rank in Mesa

3rd cheapest of 13 ZIP codes in Mesa.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 85204. 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

$16,512/yr

At $1,376/mo median

Location

CityMesa

StateAZ

CountyMaricopa 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, +0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 85204 (Mesa, AZ) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 20.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

65,155

Median income

$72,216

Median age

33.7

Renters

41.8%

Age distribution

25.1%

26.7%

26.1%

12.7%

Under 1825.1%

18–3426.7%

35–5426.1%

55–649.4%

65+12.7%

Gender

52%

48%

Male52%

Female48%

Race & ethnicity

54.9%

41.8%

White54.9%

Black3.8%

Hispanic41.8%

Asian1.3%

Education (25+)

15.8%

28.6%

35.2%

20.5%

No HS diploma15.8%

HS diploma28.6%

Some college35.2%

Bachelor's+20.5%

Housing tenure

58.2%

41.8%

Owner58.2%

Renter41.8%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 85204 in Mesa, AZ has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,160 → $1,376

up 18.6%

Income

$58,542 → $72,216

up 23.4%

Population

67,614 → 65,155

down 3.6%

Renter share

42.9% → 41.8%

-1.1 pts

Bachelor's+

19.2% → 20.5%

+1.3 pts

Median age

32.7 → 33.7

+1.0 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 85204 in Mesa, AZ has increased by $216 per month, settling near $1,376 after starting the period at $1,160. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $58,542 in 2021 to $72,216 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 4.8 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 67,614 to 65,155 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.6% change. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 85204 in Mesa, AZ market of 2021.

Community

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About renting in ZIP 85204

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 85204 covers Mesa, AZ. The median rent here is $1,376/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,460/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,700/mo.

At 23% of local median household income ($72,216/yr), ZIP 85204 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 85204?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $55,000/year (about $26/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,376/mo in ZIP 85204. The local median household income is $72,216/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 85204?

Rent in ZIP 85204 has been roughly flat over the past year as of September 2026, a -0.2% change. It sits 3.6% below its high of $1,427 in April 2025.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 85204?

Asking rents in ZIP 85204 are usually lowest in January, about 0.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 0.6% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $18 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 85204?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 85204 rose 44% while median household income rose 36.1%, from $53,061 to $72,216. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 85204 compare to other ZIPs in Arizona?

ZIP 85204 is one of the more affordable among Arizona ZIP codes for rent, ranking #153 of 183 at $1,376/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 85204 changed -0.2%, against a typical +1.6% across the 171 Arizona ZIP codes Zillow tracks.