Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on May 15, 2026
Average rent in
Houston, TX
Average rent in
Last updated on May 15, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Houston, TX rent slipped 4.9% year over year, with a current median of $1,470/month. Renters today are paying $51 less per month on average than last year, continuing a downward trend from the recent peak of $1,584/month in January 2026.
Compared to national trends
Houston sits 24.6% more affordable than the $1,950/month national median, offering a more accessible market for renters compared to many other major metros. The city has 6,172 total rentals, providing a broad selection across the metro.
Price ranges
Studios in Houston run around $1,399/month, 1-bedrooms around $1,145/month, and 2-bedrooms around $1,473/month, with 4+ bedrooms reaching $2,275/month. Houses rent for a median of $2,000/month while apartments sit at $1,375/month, reflecting distinct price tiers for different property types.
Neighborhood spotlight
Lake Windcrest rents fell 65.9% year over year to $1,669/month across 10 rentals, with Ridgelake Shores and Bentwater also seeing declines over 50%. This contrasts with the citywide decline of 4.9% and shows significant local variation in Houston's rental market.
Median rent
Median rent in Houston
$1,470/mo
5%vs previous year
The average rent in Houston is $1,470 per month as of May 2026. This is 25% below the national average rent, or $480 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Houston
6,172
for rent on Zumper.com as of May 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Houston rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Houston, TX
Average rent prices in Houston have decreased by 1% over the last month and have decreased by 5% 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 $1,375, whereas a house costs $2,000. 1-bedroom apartments in Houston run $1,149 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $1,448.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,399 | No Change |  18% | |
1 bedroom | $1,145 | 1% | 8% | |
2 bedroom | $1,473 | 1% | 9% | |
3 bedroom | $1,921 | 1% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $2,275 | 1% | 12% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Downtown Houston | $2,140 | |
Eldridge West Oaks | $1,325 | |
Great Uptown | $1,723 | |
Greater Heights | $2,016 | |
Greenway Upper Kirby | $1,896 | |
Midtown | $1,797 | |
Neartown Montrose | $2,030 | |
Sharpstown | $1,025 | |
Washington Ave Memorial Park | $1,940 | |
Woodlake Briar Meadow | $1,203 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $1,375 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $1,507 | 1% | No Change | |
Houses | $2,000 | No Change | No Change | |
Rooms | $750 | 3% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,399
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
18%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,145
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
8%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$1,473
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
9%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,921
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$2,275
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
12%
Great Uptown
Average rent
$1,723
Neartown Montrose
Average rent
$2,030
Washington Ave Memorial Park
Average rent
$1,940
Downtown Houston
Average rent
$2,140
Greenway Upper Kirby
Average rent
$1,896
Eldridge West Oaks
Average rent
$1,325
Woodlake Briar Meadow
Average rent
$1,203
Midtown
Average rent
$1,797
Sharpstown
Average rent
$1,025
Greater Heights
Average rent
$2,016
Apartments
Average rent
$1,375
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$1,507
Last 30 days
1%
Houses
Average rent
$2,000
Last 30 days
No Change
Rooms
Average rent
$750
Last 30 days
3%
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
25%lower than the national median
1%lower than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Houston, TX is 24% lower than the median rent in Cypress, TX.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$1,939
3%$1,685
2%$1,284
9%$2,087
6%$1,089
1%$1,706
4%$1,795
$1,759
5%$1,740
2%$1,452
5%$1,750
4%$1,690
7%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 | 4% higher |
| Groceries | 1% lower |
| Health | 2% lower |
| Housing | 21% lower |
| Transportation | 6% lower |
| Utilities | 8% lower |
Discover rentals in Houston, TX
4d ago
2136 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$439–$1,990
Apartment for rent
4d ago
4004 Irvington Blvd, Houston, TX 77009
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$451–$1,580
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
7320 Jensen Dr, Houston, TX 77093
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,034–$1,499
Apartment for rent
1d ago
11821 Cypress Corner Ln, Houston, TX 77065
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$461–$1,350
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
$2,514–$21,894
Price drop
Apartment for rent
Available Jul 3
23h ago
Verified
3 beds
3.5 baths
$15,461
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
9988 Windmill Lakes Blvd, Houston, TX 77075
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$683–$1,530
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5h ago
Verified
2111 Austin St, Houston, TX 77002
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,495–$3,095
Apartment for rent
5h ago
Verified
270 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77598
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$895–$1,379
Price drop
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
8255 Sunbury Ln, Houston, TX 77095
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$900–$1,709
Apartment for rent
5h ago
Verified
2111 Austin St, Houston, TX 77002
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,495–$3,095
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
8255 Sunbury Ln, Houston, TX 77095
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$900–$1,709
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
10730 Glenora Dr, Houston, TX 77065
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$798–$1,565
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
9988 Windmill Lakes Blvd, Houston, TX 77075
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$683–$1,530
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5h ago
Verified
2111 Austin St, Houston, TX 77002
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,495–$3,095
Apartment for rent
5h ago
Verified
270 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77598
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$895–$1,379
Price drop
Apartment for rent
8h ago
Verified
9850 Meadowglen Ln, Houston, TX 77042
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$858–$1,779
Price drop
Apartment for rent
Available Jul 21
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 $1,470 per month as of May 14, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Houston?
Average rent prices in Houston have decreased by 1% over the last month and have decreased by 5% since last year.
How does Houston rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Houston is 25% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $480 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Houston?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Houston are Sharpstown ($1,025/mo), Woodlake Briar Meadow ($1,203/mo), and Eldridge West Oaks ($1,325/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Houston?
To comfortably afford rent in Houston, you'd need to earn approximately $59,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Houston?
Houston's 2025 rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging around $1,300 per month, while two-bedroom units average around $1,600 monthly. These figures represent the current market across all property types in the city.
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 $1,113 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Sugar Land ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $1,330.
- Pearland was the second priciest with rent at $1,320.
- League City placed third with rent priced at $1,220.
The Least Expensive
- Huntsville ranked as the most affordable city with rent priced at $840.
- Baytown was second with rent at $850.
- Texas City placed third with rent at $910.
The Largest Decline (Y/Y%)
- Sugar Land experienced the largest annual rent decline, down 13.1%.
- Baytown saw rent decrease 10.5%, making it second.
- Houston placed third with rent dipping 8.1%.
The Largest Decline (M/M%)
- Galveston rent had the largest monthly decline, falling 6.4%.
- Sugar Land was second with rent decreasing 4.3%.
- Baytown & Houston tied for third with rents both dipping 3.4%.
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.