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Rent Tracker
The average asking rent in Houston, TX is $1,610/month as of 2026-03. That is -0.9% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,610/mo
as of 2026-03
Year-over-Year Change
-0.9%
Monthly ZORI index values for Houston, TX.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03 | $1,610 | +0.06% |
| 2026-02 | $1,609 | -0.06% |
| 2026-01 | $1,610 | -0.19% |
| 2025-12 | $1,613 | -0.25% |
| 2025-11 | $1,617 | -0.43% |
| 2025-10 | $1,624 | -0.37% |
| 2025-09 | $1,630 | +0.06% |
| 2025-08 | $1,629 | -0.06% |
| 2025-07 | $1,630 | +0.12% |
| 2025-06 | $1,628 | -0.37% |
| 2025-05 | $1,634 | +0.25% |
| 2025-04 | $1,630 | +0.37% |
| 2025-03 | $1,624 | +0.56% |
| 2025-02 | $1,615 | +0.25% |
| 2025-01 | $1,611 | -0.06% |
| 2024-12 | $1,612 | -0.19% |
| 2024-11 | $1,615 | -0.31% |
| 2024-10 | $1,620 | -0.18% |
| 2024-09 | $1,623 | +0.00% |
| 2024-08 | $1,623 | +0.19% |
| 2024-07 | $1,620 | +0.31% |
| 2024-06 | $1,615 | +0.50% |
| 2024-05 | $1,607 | +0.56% |
| 2024-04 | $1,598 | — |
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
Data: Zillow Research ZORI · Updated monthly · Price Inflation Report