Median Rent Prices Price History
1950–2025 · U.S. Census Bureau / HUD
There's no quicker way to feel the squeeze of inflation than watching your rent bill climb year after year. This dataset tracks the median monthly rent for unfurnished apartments across the United States from 1950 to 2025. Back in the early '50s, $42 a month could land you a decent place — today that won't even cover a parking spot in most cities. The post-2020 surge has been especially brutal, with rents jumping over 35% in just five years as housing supply failed to keep pace with demand.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau / HUD1950–2025
Price in 1950
$42.00
Price in 2025
$1,245.00
Total Change
+2864.3%
Years Tracked
75
Median Rent Prices Over Time
1950Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Median rent was just $42/month in 1950 and didn't crack $100 until 1973 — a stretch of 23 years where housing felt genuinely affordable for most working Americans.
- The 1980s saw rent nearly double, jumping from $178 in 1980 to $329 by 1990, driven by high inflation, condo conversions, and a wave of young boomers competing for apartments.
- Rents barely budged during the 2008-2010 recession, dipping from $622 to $642, but then took off on a decade-long tear that added roughly $300/month by 2020.
- The post-pandemic spike was staggering: median rent rocketed from $921 in 2020 to $1,245 in 2025, a 35% increase in five years that far outpaced wage growth for most renters.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per month) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $42.00 | — |
| 1951 | $43.00 | +2.4% |
| 1952 | $44.00 | +2.3% |
| 1953 | $45.00 | +2.3% |
| 1954 | $46.00 | +2.2% |
| 1955 | $47.00 | +2.2% |
| 1956 | $49.00 | +4.3% |
| 1957 | $51.00 | +4.1% |
| 1958 | $53.00 | +3.9% |
| 1959 | $55.00 | +3.8% |
| 1960 | $58.00 | +5.5% |
| 1961 | $59.00 | +1.7% |
| 1962 | $60.00 | +1.7% |
| 1963 | $62.00 | +3.3% |
| 1964 | $63.00 | +1.6% |
| 1965 | $65.00 | +3.2% |
| 1966 | $68.00 | +4.6% |
| 1967 | $71.00 | +4.4% |
| 1968 | $75.00 | +5.6% |
| 1969 | $80.00 | +6.7% |
| 1970 | $89.00 | +11.3% |
| 1971 | $93.00 | +4.5% |
| 1972 | $97.00 | +4.3% |
| 1973 | $101.00 | +4.1% |
| 1974 | $108.00 | +6.9% |
| 1975 | $117.00 | +8.3% |
| 1976 | $126.00 | +7.7% |
| 1977 | $136.00 | +7.9% |
| 1978 | $147.00 | +8.1% |
| 1979 | $160.00 | +8.8% |
| 1980 | $178.00 | +11.3% |
| 1981 | $198.00 | +11.2% |
| 1982 | $213.00 | +7.6% |
| 1983 | $227.00 | +6.6% |
| 1984 | $240.00 | +5.7% |
| 1985 | $254.00 | +5.8% |
| 1986 | $266.00 | +4.7% |
| 1987 | $279.00 | +4.9% |
| 1988 | $293.00 | +5.0% |
| 1989 | $310.00 | +5.8% |
| 1990 | $329.00 | +6.1% |
| 1991 | $343.00 | +4.3% |
| 1992 | $356.00 | +3.8% |
| 1993 | $368.00 | +3.4% |
| 1994 | $380.00 | +3.3% |
| 1995 | $393.00 | +3.4% |
| 1996 | $408.00 | +3.8% |
| 1997 | $421.00 | +3.2% |
| 1998 | $434.00 | +3.1% |
| 1999 | $449.00 | +3.5% |
| 2000 | $465.00 | +3.6% |
| 2001 | $481.00 | +3.4% |
| 2002 | $498.00 | +3.5% |
| 2003 | $512.00 | +2.8% |
| 2004 | $528.00 | +3.1% |
| 2005 | $548.00 | +3.8% |
| 2006 | $575.00 | +4.9% |
| 2007 | $602.00 | +4.7% |
| 2008 | $622.00 | +3.3% |
| 2009 | $630.00 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | $642.00 | +1.9% |
| 2011 | $658.00 | +2.5% |
| 2012 | $678.00 | +3.0% |
| 2013 | $701.00 | +3.4% |
| 2014 | $728.00 | +3.9% |
| 2015 | $757.00 | +4.0% |
| 2016 | $789.00 | +4.2% |
| 2017 | $825.00 | +4.6% |
| 2018 | $862.00 | +4.5% |
| 2019 | $897.00 | +4.1% |
| 2020 | $921.00 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $965.00 | +4.8% |
| 2022 | $1,097.00 | +13.7% |
| 2023 | $1,163.00 | +6.0% |
| 2024 | $1,210.00 | +4.0% |
| 2025 | $1,245.00 | +2.9% |
Year1950
Price (USD per month)$42.00
YoY Change—
Year1951
Price (USD per month)$43.00
YoY Change+2.4%
Year1952
Price (USD per month)$44.00
YoY Change+2.3%
Year1953
Price (USD per month)$45.00
YoY Change+2.3%
Year1954
Price (USD per month)$46.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year1955
Price (USD per month)$47.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year1956
Price (USD per month)$49.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1957
Price (USD per month)$51.00
YoY Change+4.1%
Year1958
Price (USD per month)$53.00
YoY Change+3.9%
Year1959
Price (USD per month)$55.00
YoY Change+3.8%
Year1960
Price (USD per month)$58.00
YoY Change+5.5%
Year1961
Price (USD per month)$59.00
YoY Change+1.7%
Year1962
Price (USD per month)$60.00
YoY Change+1.7%
Year1963
Price (USD per month)$62.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year1964
Price (USD per month)$63.00
YoY Change+1.6%
Year1965
Price (USD per month)$65.00
YoY Change+3.2%
Year1966
Price (USD per month)$68.00
YoY Change+4.6%
Year1967
Price (USD per month)$71.00
YoY Change+4.4%
Year1968
Price (USD per month)$75.00
YoY Change+5.6%
Year1969
Price (USD per month)$80.00
YoY Change+6.7%
Year1970
Price (USD per month)$89.00
YoY Change+11.3%
Year1971
Price (USD per month)$93.00
YoY Change+4.5%
Year1972
Price (USD per month)$97.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1973
Price (USD per month)$101.00
YoY Change+4.1%
Year1974
Price (USD per month)$108.00
YoY Change+6.9%
Year1975
Price (USD per month)$117.00
YoY Change+8.3%
Year1976
Price (USD per month)$126.00
YoY Change+7.7%
Year1977
Price (USD per month)$136.00
YoY Change+7.9%
Year1978
Price (USD per month)$147.00
YoY Change+8.1%
Year1979
Price (USD per month)$160.00
YoY Change+8.8%
Year1980
Price (USD per month)$178.00
YoY Change+11.3%
Year1981
Price (USD per month)$198.00
YoY Change+11.2%
Year1982
Price (USD per month)$213.00
YoY Change+7.6%
Year1983
Price (USD per month)$227.00
YoY Change+6.6%
Year1984
Price (USD per month)$240.00
YoY Change+5.7%
Year1985
Price (USD per month)$254.00
YoY Change+5.8%
Year1986
Price (USD per month)$266.00
YoY Change+4.7%
Year1987
Price (USD per month)$279.00
YoY Change+4.9%
Year1988
Price (USD per month)$293.00
YoY Change+5.0%
Year1989
Price (USD per month)$310.00
YoY Change+5.8%
Year1990
Price (USD per month)$329.00
YoY Change+6.1%
Year1991
Price (USD per month)$343.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1992
Price (USD per month)$356.00
YoY Change+3.8%
Year1993
Price (USD per month)$368.00
YoY Change+3.4%
Year1994
Price (USD per month)$380.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year1995
Price (USD per month)$393.00
YoY Change+3.4%
Year1996
Price (USD per month)$408.00
YoY Change+3.8%
Year1997
Price (USD per month)$421.00
YoY Change+3.2%
Year1998
Price (USD per month)$434.00
YoY Change+3.1%
Year1999
Price (USD per month)$449.00
YoY Change+3.5%
Year2000
Price (USD per month)$465.00
YoY Change+3.6%
Year2001
Price (USD per month)$481.00
YoY Change+3.4%
Year2002
Price (USD per month)$498.00
YoY Change+3.5%
Year2003
Price (USD per month)$512.00
YoY Change+2.8%
Year2004
Price (USD per month)$528.00
YoY Change+3.1%
Year2005
Price (USD per month)$548.00
YoY Change+3.8%
Year2006
Price (USD per month)$575.00
YoY Change+4.9%
Year2007
Price (USD per month)$602.00
YoY Change+4.7%
Year2008
Price (USD per month)$622.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year2009
Price (USD per month)$630.00
YoY Change+1.3%
Year2010
Price (USD per month)$642.00
YoY Change+1.9%
Year2011
Price (USD per month)$658.00
YoY Change+2.5%
Year2012
Price (USD per month)$678.00
YoY Change+3.0%
Year2013
Price (USD per month)$701.00
YoY Change+3.4%
Year2014
Price (USD per month)$728.00
YoY Change+3.9%
Year2015
Price (USD per month)$757.00
YoY Change+4.0%
Year2016
Price (USD per month)$789.00
YoY Change+4.2%
Year2017
Price (USD per month)$825.00
YoY Change+4.6%
Year2018
Price (USD per month)$862.00
YoY Change+4.5%
Year2019
Price (USD per month)$897.00
YoY Change+4.1%
Year2020
Price (USD per month)$921.00
YoY Change+2.7%
Year2021
Price (USD per month)$965.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year2022
Price (USD per month)$1,097.00
YoY Change+13.7%
Year2023
Price (USD per month)$1,163.00
YoY Change+6.0%
Year2024
Price (USD per month)$1,210.00
YoY Change+4.0%
Year2025
Price (USD per month)$1,245.00
YoY Change+2.9%
Sources & Methodology
Census Bureau Housing Vacancy Survey and American Community Survey data. Figures represent median gross rent, which includes contract rent plus estimated utility costs. Pre-1960 values are derived from decennial census interpolation, with intercensal years estimated using linear trends between benchmark years.
Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau / HUD
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.