Houston Texas Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Houston, TX (the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metro area) was $1,139 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Houston was $1,176 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 Houston median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Houston rental vacancy rates, Houston rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Houston.
Real Gross Rent in Houston Texas (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Texas Median Gross Rent | $1,091 | +2.44% | +8.99% |
| Houston, TX Median Gross Rent | $1,139 | +2.24% | +7.76% |
Houston, TX Real Gross Rent Trends
At $1,139, real median gross rent in Houston was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,176, real average gross rent in Houston was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.
Real Gross Rent in Houston: Houston TX Median, Houston TX Average, Texas Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Houston
| Date | US Median |
Texas Median |
Houston, TX Median |
Houston, TX Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $1,091 | $1,139 | $1,176 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $1,065 | $1,114 | $1,150 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $1,018 | $1,073 | $1,125 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $1,001 | $1,057 | $1,117 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $989 | $1,037 | $1,102 |
| 2014 | $986 | $946 | $989 | $1,052 |
| 2013 | $953 | $902 | $933 | $994 |
| 2012 | $940 | $884 | $929 | $986 |
| 2011 | $941 | $878 | $917 | $970 |
| 2010 | $955 | $895 | $945 | $991 |
| 2009 | $960 | $898 | $966 | $1,014 |
| 2007 | $927 | $862 | $911 | $953 |
| 2005 | $910 | $839 | $878 | $913 |
Houston 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 Houston Texas was 8.59% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Houston Texas
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Texas | 8.15% | -0.06% | +0.50% |
| Houston, TX | 8.59% | -0.90% | +1.31% |
Trends in Houston, TX Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Houston peaked in 2010 at 13.76%. Since then it has fallen by 5.17% to 8.59%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2015 post peak low of 6.46%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 2.13%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Houston TX, Texas, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Houston
| Date | US | Texas | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 8.15% | 8.59% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 8.21% | 9.49% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 8.49% | 9.73% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 7.65% | 7.28% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 6.95% | 6.46% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 7.30% | 7.13% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 7.86% | 8.39% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 8.53% | 10.17% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 9.23% | 11.64% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 10.60% | 13.76% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 10.69% | 12.27% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 10.61% | 13.57% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 10.60% | 12.57% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Houston, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Houston, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.75% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Houston Texas Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Texas | 20.45% | -0.26% | +0.16% |
| Houston, TX | 19.75% | -0.32% | +0.13% |
Trends in Houston, TX Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Houston household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2018 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 20.08%. Since then it has fallen by 0.32% to 19.75%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Houston TX, Texas, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Houston Texas
| Date | US | Texas | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 20.45% | 19.75% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 20.70% | 20.08% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 20.00% | 19.58% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 20.28% | 19.62% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 20.10% | 19.09% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 20.27% | 18.72% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 19.89% | 18.53% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 19.65% | 18.74% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 19.75% | 18.56% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 19.77% | 18.82% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 19.59% | 18.79% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 18.52% | 17.55% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 19.11% | 18.04% |
Renter Fraction in Houston Texas
You can calculate the renter fraction in Houston 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 Houston as a fraction of total Houston households. In 2019 39.92% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Houston Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Texas | 38.12% | -0.16% | -0.79% |
| Houston, TX | 39.92% | +0.22% | -0.91% |
Trends in the Houston, TX Renter Fraction
The Houston household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 41.33% and is now 1.41% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Houston TX, Texas, US
History of Houston Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Texas | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 38.12% | 39.92% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 38.28% | 39.70% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 38.03% | 39.26% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 38.91% | 40.83% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 38.94% | 41.33% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 38.84% | 40.94% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 38.16% | 39.87% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 37.72% | 38.65% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 37.08% | 38.44% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 36.42% | 37.16% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 36.32% | 37.74% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 34.82% | 36.12% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 35.29% | 37.05% |
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. ↩
