ZIP 85281
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 85281 usually run 1.3% below trend in December and 1.2% above it in July, about $40 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 85281 is 3.6% below its high of $1,677 in May 2022, at $1,616 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 85281 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 85281 rose 34.3% while median household income rose 68.7% ($38,264 to $64,538). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 85281 is 26.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($64,538) is $1,613 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,590); a 1-bedroom is $1,730.
3rd cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Tempe.
ZIP 85008, 4 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,404/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 85281. 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 85281 (Tempe, AZ) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 50.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 85281 in Tempe, AZ has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 85281 in Tempe, AZ has climbed from $1,350 to $1,616, a 19.7% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $64,538 today, compared with $49,204 five years earlier. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. The population has grown by 8.8% since 2021, moving from about 66,878 residents to roughly 72,762. Renters now make up 76.3% of households, compared with 79.5% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 50.1% of adults here, versus 46.9% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 85281
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 85281 covers Tempe, AZ. The median rent here is $1,616/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,730/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,010/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($64,538/yr), ZIP 85281 ranks as moderate 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 85281 compare to the rest of Tempe?
At $1,616/mo, rent takes ~30% of ZIP 85281's median household income ($64,538/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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