Rent Data · Updated June 2026
Houston Rent Report 2026
Official 2-bedroom rent benchmarks for 237 Houston-area ZIP codes — and why Sugar Land, Katy, and Cypress now out-benchmark the urban core.
Key Findings
- The official benchmark for a 2-bedroom spans $970 to $2,360 per month across the metro (HUD FY2026). The median Houston-area ZIP benchmarks at $1,550.
- The west-side suburbs lead the metro: Sugar Land ($2,153), Katy ($2,092), Spring ($2,036), and Cypress ($2,035) all benchmark 27–34% above the Houston core-city average ($1,604).
- Houston has the widest intra-city spread we’ve measured in any market: $1,050 (77026) to $2,360 (Downtown and the close-in west side) — a 125% range inside one city. Pricing by “Houston average” instead of ZIP code is a four-figure annual mistake.
- Twelve ZIP codes share the metro’s $2,360 ceiling — eight close-in Houston ZIPs plus Bellaire, Sugar Land 77479, Katy 77494, and Fresno 77545: a fast-growing unincorporated suburb now benchmarks with River Oaks.
2026 Rent Benchmarks by City
2-bedroom, HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent. City figure is the average of residential ZIP-level benchmarks within the locality.
| # | City / Area | 2BR Benchmark | ZIP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sugar Land | $2,153 | $2,000–$2,360 across 3 ZIPs |
| 2 | Katy | $2,092 | $1,940–$2,360 across 4 ZIPs |
| 3 | Kingwood (Houston) | $2,075 | $1,840–$2,310 across 2 ZIPs |
| 4 | Spring | $2,036 | $1,840–$2,160 across 5 ZIPs |
| 5 | Cypress | $2,035 | $1,890–$2,180 across 2 ZIPs |
| 6 | Richmond | $2,017 | $1,740–$2,190 across 3 ZIPs |
| 7 | The Woodlands | $1,984 | $1,660–$2,260 across 5 ZIPs |
| 8 | League City | $1,910 | single ZIP |
| 9 | Tomball | $1,840 | $1,760–$1,920 across 2 ZIPs |
| 10 | Humble / Atascocita | $1,835 | $1,690–$1,980 across 2 ZIPs |
| 11 | Pearland | $1,615 | $1,510–$1,720 across 2 ZIPs |
| 12 | Houston (core city ZIPs) | $1,604 | $1,050–$2,360 across 94 ZIPs |
| 13 | Baytown | $1,460 | $1,330–$1,590 across 2 ZIPs |
| 14 | Pasadena | $1,428 | $1,260–$1,760 across 5 ZIPs |
| 15 | Conroe | $1,410 | $1,070–$1,590 across 5 ZIPs |
What This Means for Landlords
These figures are the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s official 40th-percentile gross-rent benchmarks — the payment standards behind Housing Choice Vouchers. They are not asking rents: a well-presented home in a strong school district typically leases above its ZIP benchmark. Treat them as a floor reference, not a ceiling.
ZIP-level pricing matters more than city-level pricing — in Houston more than anywhere. Two rentals both “in Houston” can sit $1,300 a month apart on the official benchmark, and a Katy rental in 77449 priced like 77494 is overpriced by roughly $320 a month. If you want a read on your specific property, our free rental analysis compares it against live local comps.
Voucher-program landlords: the ZIP-level figures here are the FY2026 basis for what the program pays in your exact ZIP code.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent benchmark for a 2-bedroom in Houston in 2026?
The median Houston-area ZIP code carries an official 2-bedroom benchmark of $1,550 per month (HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents). Across Houston’s 94 core-city ZIP codes the average is $1,604, with individual ZIPs ranging from $1,050 to $2,360.
Which Houston suburb has the highest rent benchmark in 2026?
Sugar Land, at an average of $2,153 per month for a 2-bedroom across its residential ZIP codes. Katy ($2,092), Kingwood ($2,075), Spring ($2,036), and Cypress ($2,035) round out the top suburban tier — all benchmark above $2,000.
Are rents higher in the Houston suburbs or the city core?
The west and northwest suburbs, by a wide margin. Sugar Land, Katy, Spring, and Cypress benchmark 27–34% above the Houston core-city average of $1,604. Only the close-in ZIP codes (Downtown, Montrose, River Oaks, the Galleria area) match the top suburbs at $2,360.
What is the difference between Fair Market Rent and asking rent?
Fair Market Rent is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s estimate of the 40th-percentile gross rent (rent plus utilities) for standard-quality units in a ZIP code. It is a payment benchmark, not an asking price — well-maintained homes typically lease above it.
How much can a landlord charge for a Section 8 rental in Houston?
Housing Choice Voucher payment standards in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land HUD metro area are set per ZIP code using Small Area Fair Market Rents. The ZIP-level figures in this report are those FY2026 benchmarks; each housing authority sets its payment standard as a percentage of them.
Methodology & Source
Data: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area (final), retrieved June 10, 2026 from huduser.gov. City figures are the unweighted average of HUD ZIP-level 2-bedroom FMRs for residential ZIP codes within each locality; PO-box and metro-default ZIPs (those carrying HUD’s uniform metro schedule where ZIP-specific data is insufficient) are excluded, leaving 237 residential ZIP codes. FMRs estimate the 40th-percentile gross rent (rent + utilities) for standard-quality units. Analysis by Flat Fee Landlord. This page is refreshed when HUD publishes each fiscal year’s final figures. Journalists and researchers may cite this analysis with attribution and a link. See also: our Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, San Antonio, Northern Virginia, and Maryland rent reports.
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