ZIP Code · AZ

ZIP 85209

Part of Mesa, AZ

Pop. 43,150·Maricopa County·60th most expensive ZIP in Arizona

Median rent (all units)

$1,923/mo

Year-over-Year

+0.7%

Month-over-Month

+0.1%

vs US Median

-$9

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 85209 · $1,923

More expensive than 57% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,640

1 BR

$1,780

2 BR

$2,070

3 BR

$2,760

4 BR+

$3,060

Research median

$2,070/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 85209 usually run 0.6% below trend in December and 0.4% above it in September, about $19 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 85209 is 3.3% below its high of $1,989 in April 2023, at $1,923 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Arizona

Rent in ZIP 85209 changed +0.7% 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 85209 rose 44% while median household income rose 32.8% ($63,568 to $84,432). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 85209 is 33.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($84,432) is $2,111 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,070); a 3-bedroom is $2,760.

Rank in Mesa

10th cheapest of 13 ZIP codes in Mesa.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 85206, 5 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,697/mo), about $2,700 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 85209. 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

$23,076/yr

At $1,923/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 (+0.7% YoY, +0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 85209 (Mesa, AZ) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 35.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

43,150

Median income

$84,432

Median age

45.8

Renters

26.9%

Age distribution

19.6%

20.3%

19.5%

13.2%

27.3%

Under 1819.6%

18–3420.3%

35–5419.5%

55–6413.2%

65+27.3%

Gender

47.6%

52.4%

Male47.6%

Female52.4%

Race & ethnicity

77.1%

15.3%

White77.1%

Black4.2%

Hispanic15.3%

Asian2.4%

Other1%

Education (25+)

24%

34.1%

35.3%

No HS diploma6.5%

HS diploma24%

Some college34.1%

Bachelor's+35.3%

Housing tenure

73.1%

26.9%

Owner73.1%

Renter26.9%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 85209 in Mesa, AZ has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,646 → $1,923

up 16.8%

Income

$68,906 → $84,432

up 22.5%

Population

39,726 → 43,150

up 8.6%

Renter share

25.5% → 26.9%

+1.4 pts

Bachelor's+

33.4% → 35.3%

+1.9 pts

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 85209 in Mesa, AZ has shifted from $1,646 to $1,923, up 16.8% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $68,906 in 2021 to $84,432 more recently. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show ZIP 85209 in Mesa, AZ adding about 3,424 residents over the five-year window, up 8.6% on net. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 85209 in Mesa, AZ market of 2021.

Community

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About renting in ZIP 85209

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 85209 covers Mesa, AZ. The median rent here is $1,923/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,780/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,070/mo.

At 27% of local median household income ($84,432/yr), ZIP 85209 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.7% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 85209?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $77,000/year (about $37/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,923/mo in ZIP 85209. The local median household income is $84,432/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 85209?

Rent in ZIP 85209 has risen 0.7% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 3.3% below its high of $1,989 in April 2023.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 85209?

Asking rents in ZIP 85209 are usually lowest in December, about 0.6% below their yearly trend, and highest in September, about 0.4% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $19 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 85209?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 85209 rose 44% while median household income rose 32.8%, from $63,568 to $84,432. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 85209 compare to other ZIPs in Arizona?

ZIP 85209 is one of the pricier among Arizona ZIP codes for rent, ranking #60 of 183 at $1,923/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 85209 changed +0.7%, against a typical +1.6% across the 171 Arizona ZIP codes Zillow tracks.