Department of Numbers

Cambria County Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Cambria County PA was $620 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Cambria County was $538 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Cambria County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Cambria County rental vacancy rates, Cambria County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Cambria County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Cambria County Pennsylvania (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Pennsylvania Median Gross Rent $951 +0.74% +3.03%
Cambria County PA Median Gross Rent $620 -1.74% -4.32%

Cambria County PA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Cambria County peaked in real terms in 2016 at $648 and is now $28 (4.32%) lower. Average gross rent for Cambria County peaked in real terms in 2015 at $610 and is now $72 (11.80%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Cambria County PA Median, Cambria County PA Average, Pennsylvania Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Cambria County

Date US
Median
Pennsylvania
Median
Cambria County PA
Median
Cambria County PA
Average
2019 $1,097 $951 $620 $538
2018 $1,077 $944 $631 $558
2017 $1,043 $921 $620 $577
2016 $1,027 $923 $648 $581
2015 $1,017 $921 $632 $610
2014 $986 $895 $582 $556
2013 $953 $872 $583 $547
2012 $940 $849 $578 $517
2011 $941 $849 $579 $526
2010 $955 $853 $615 $540
2009 $960 $841 $564 $527

more history ...

Cambria County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Cambria County Pennsylvania was 7.10% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Cambria County Pennsylvania

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Pennsylvania 4.87% -0.42% -0.90%
Cambria County PA 7.10% +3.28% +0.55%

Trends in Cambria County PA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Cambria County peaked in 2017 at 9.55%. Since then it has fallen by 2.45% to 7.10%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Cambria County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Rental vacancy rate in Pennsylvania

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Cambria County

Date US Pennsylvania Cambria County PA
2019 5.97% 4.87% 7.10%
2018 6.15% 5.29% 3.82%
2017 6.18% 5.84% 9.55%
2016 5.89% 5.77% 6.55%
2015 5.85% 5.77% 6.70%
2014 6.32% 6.40% 5.80%
2013 6.49% 5.78% 5.60%
2012 6.77% 5.88% 5.18%
2011 7.40% 6.13% 5.19%
2010 8.17% 6.47% 2.66%
2009 8.43% 6.80% 3.84%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Cambria County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Cambria County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 15.16% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Cambria County Pennsylvania Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Pennsylvania 17.98% -0.28% -0.60%
Cambria County PA 15.16% -1.34% -1.68%

Trends in Cambria County PA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Cambria County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2016 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 16.84%. Since then it has fallen by 1.68% to 15.16%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Cambria County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Cambria County Pennsylvania

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Cambria County Pennsylvania

Date US Pennsylvania Cambria County PA
2019 20.03% 17.98% 15.16%
2018 20.50% 18.26% 16.50%
2017 20.13% 18.10% 15.48%
2016 20.43% 18.58% 16.84%
2015 20.63% 18.70% 16.19%
2014 20.89% 19.12% 15.30%
2013 20.78% 19.11% 16.05%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 16.30%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 15.98%
2010 20.50% 18.58% 16.01%
2009 20.12% 17.88% 15.28%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Cambria County Pennsylvania

You can calculate the renter fraction in Cambria County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Cambria County as a fraction of total Cambria County households. In 2019 25.11% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Cambria County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Pennsylvania 31.59% +0.19% +0.09%
Cambria County PA 25.11% -0.67% 0.00%

Trends in the Cambria County PA Renter Fraction

The Cambria County household renter fraction peaked in in 2008 at 26.96% and is now 1.85% below that level. From a recent low of 24.24% in 2012, the household based renter fraction has now grown by 0.87%. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Cambria County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Fraction of renters in Cambria County

History of Cambria County Renter Fraction

Date US Pennsylvania Cambria County PA
2019 35.89% 31.59% 25.11%
2018 36.05% 31.40% 25.78%
2017 36.13% 31.70% 24.40%
2016 36.88% 31.50% 25.11%
2015 36.97% 31.28% 26.85%
2014 36.90% 31.17% 26.37%
2013 36.50% 31.05% 25.27%
2012 36.09% 31.09% 24.24%
2011 35.42% 30.51% 26.34%
2010 34.65% 29.87% 26.86%
2009 34.13% 29.48% 26.75%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.