Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 13, 2026
Average rent in
Houston, TX
Average rent in
Last updated on August 13, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Houston, TX rent slipped 12.4% year over year, with a current median of $1,326/month. Renters today are paying $277 less per month on average than last year as the market continues to cool from its peak in January 2026.
Compared to national trends
Houston sits 31.1% more affordable than the $1,925/month national median, offering renters a more accessible market with 5,188 total rentals available across the metro.
Price ranges
Studios in Houston run around $1,049/month, 1-bedrooms at $995/month, and 2-bedrooms at $1,370/month, with 3-bedrooms at $1,900/month and 4+ bedrooms at $2,258/month. These bedroom tiers represent the range of rents most renters encounter in the city.
Neighborhood spotlight
Ridgelake Shores and Hunterwood both saw rents fall 57.0% year over year to $1,890/month and $875/month respectively, indicating notable local declines compared to the citywide 12.4% drop. Oakhurst also cooled with rents down 44.4% to $1,558/month, showing significant neighborhood-level variation in Houston's rental market.
Median rent
Median rent in Houston
$1,326/mo
12%vs previous year
The average rent in Houston is $1,326 per month as of August 2026. This is 31% below the national average rent, or $598 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Houston
5,188
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Houston rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Houston, TX
Average rent prices in Houston have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 12% since last year.
Rent trends
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Compare rent prices in
Houston, TX
Rent prices in Houston vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Houston is $1,205, whereas a house costs $2,075. 1-bedroom apartments in Houston run $997 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $1,349.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,049 | 6% |  6% | |
1 bedroom | $995 | No Change | 16% | |
2 bedroom | $1,370 | 1% | 16% | |
3 bedroom | $1,900 | 2% | 20% | |
4 bedroom | $2,257 | 2% | 10% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Clear Lake | $1,225 | |
Downtown Houston | $1,982 | |
Eldridge West Oaks | $1,160 | |
Great Uptown | $1,520 | |
Greater Heights | $1,987 | |
Greenway Upper Kirby | $1,620 | |
Neartown Montrose | $1,472 | |
Sharpstown | $1,010 | |
Washington Ave Memorial Park | $1,791 | |
Woodlake Briar Meadow | $1,149 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $1,205 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $1,468 | 1% | No Change | |
Houses | $2,075 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $835 | 2% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,049
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
6%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$995
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
16%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$1,370
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
16%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,900
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
20%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$2,257
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
10%
Great Uptown
Average rent
$1,520
Woodlake Briar Meadow
Average rent
$1,149
Washington Ave Memorial Park
Average rent
$1,791
Eldridge West Oaks
Average rent
$1,160
Clear Lake
Average rent
$1,225
Downtown Houston
Average rent
$1,982
Greenway Upper Kirby
Average rent
$1,620
Neartown Montrose
Average rent
$1,472
Sharpstown
Average rent
$1,010
Greater Heights
Average rent
$1,987
Apartments
Average rent
$1,205
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$1,468
Last 30 days
1%
Houses
Average rent
$2,075
Last 30 days
1%
Rooms
Average rent
$835
Last 30 days
2%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Houston, TX, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.
How does rent in Houston, TX compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Houston and Cypress by all bedroom counts and property types.
Houston
31%lower than the national median
Equal to the the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Houston, TX is 31% lower than the median rent in Cypress, TX.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$1,924
9%$1,603
6%$1,269
34%$2,110
$1,050
2%$1,789
2%$1,800
3%$1,790
1%$1,749
$1,384
11%$1,775
3%$1,699
10%Cost of living in Houston, TX
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 2% higher |
| Groceries | 2% lower |
| Health | 3% lower |
| Housing | 21% lower |
| Transportation | 4% lower |
| Utilities | 6% lower |
Discover rentals in Houston, TX
4d ago
Verified
7320 Jensen Dr, Houston, TX 77093
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,034–$1,439
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
11821 Cypress Corner Ln, Houston, TX 77065
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$461–$1,227
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
2136 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$471–$2,099
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
4004 Irvington Blvd, Houston, TX 77009
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,053–$1,630
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Lazy Brook - Timbergrove apartment for rent in Houston
2525 North Loop West #300, Houston, TX 77008
Studio
0 baths
$28,268
Apartment for rent
Available Jan 24
5d+ ago
Lazy Brook - Timbergrove apartment for rent in Houston
2525 North Loop West #500, Houston, TX 77008
Studio
0 baths
$16,868
Apartment for rent
Available Jan 24
1h ago
1958 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019
1–3 beds
1–3 baths
$2,538–$17,381
Price drop
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 13
5d+ ago
Lazy Brook - Timbergrove apartment for rent in Houston
2525 North Loop West #450, Houston, TX 77008
Studio
0 baths
$13,170
Apartment for rent
Available Jan 24
3h ago
Verified
11700 Fuqua St, Houston, TX 77034
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$870–$1,225
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
270 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77598
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$915–$1,409
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
2111 Austin St, Houston, TX 77002
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,525–$2,395
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
10730 Glenora Dr, Houston, TX 77065
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$954–$1,703
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
8255 Sunbury Ln, Houston, TX 77095
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$935–$1,709
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
240 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77598
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$889–$1,349
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
1938 Knoll St, Houston, TX 77080
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,170–$1,404
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
11700 Fuqua St, Houston, TX 77034
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$870–$1,225
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
270 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77598
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$915–$1,409
Apartment for rent
Stay up to date with rental market insights
Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.
Frequently asked questions for Houston, TX
Quick answers to common questions about the Houston rental market.
How much is rent in Houston?
The average rent in Houston is $1,326 per month as of August 8, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Houston?
Average rent prices in Houston have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 12% since last year.
How does Houston rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Houston is 31% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $598 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Houston?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Houston are Sharpstown ($1,010/mo), Woodlake Briar Meadow ($1,149/mo), and Eldridge West Oaks ($1,160/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Houston?
To comfortably afford rent in Houston, you'd need to earn approximately $53,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Houston?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in Houston average around $1,230/month and two-bedrooms approximately $1,520/month.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.
Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).
For additional insights into rental trends, including month-over-month changes and historical comparisons, see Zumper's Monthly Metro Report.
Houston Metro Report
The Zumper Houston Metro Report analyzed active listings last month across metro cities to highlight the most and least expensive cities and those with the fastest growing rents. The Texas one bedroom median rent was $1,088 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Sugar Land ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $1,260.
- Pearland was the second priciest with rent at $1,240.
- League City placed third with rent priced at $1,190.
The Least Expensive
- Lake Jackson & Huntsville tied for the most affordable city with rents both priced at $840.
- Texas City was the second least expensive with rent at $910.
- Pasadena placed third with rent at $920.
The Largest Decline (Y/Y%)
- Sugar Land experienced the largest annual rent decline, down 14.9%.
- Houston saw rent decrease 14.4%, making it second.
- Galveston placed third with rent dipping 10.5%.
The Largest Decline (M/M%)
- Lake Jackson rent had the largest monthly decline, falling 5.6%.
- Pearland was second with rent decreasing 3.1%.
- Conroe & Houston tied for third with rents both dipping 2.7%.
About
The Zumper Houston Metro Area Report analyzed active listings that hit the market last month. Listings are aggregated by city to calculate median asking rents.
Words by
Crystal ChenCrystal Chen is a seasoned real estate and housing market expert with more than a decade of experience analyzing rental trends, housing affordability, and urban living. At Zumper, she leads data storytelling as well as press and media relations, where she translates complex housing research into easily digestible insights for renters, industry professionals, and journalists. Her reports can be seen cited in national outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. She is passionate about helping renters navigate today’s evolving housing landscape with clarity and confidence. Living in New York City herself, she knows firsthand the chaos and challenges of navigating a competitive rental market.