Average Rent in Denver, CO (2026)

Typical asking rent in Denver is $1,981. Across the 27 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,420 to $2,596, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of July 2026.

Median rent
$1,981
Average rent
$1,946
Lowest ZIP
$1,420
Highest ZIP
$2,596

Rent by ZIP code in Denver

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
80207Denver County$2,596+31%
80212Denver County$2,589+31%
80219Denver County$2,343+18%
80211Denver County$2,225+12%
80238Denver County$2,175+10%
80221Adams County$2,090+6%
80209Denver County$2,073+5%
80202Denver County$2,068+4%
80210Denver County$2,061+4%
80236Denver County$2,023+2%
80223Denver County$2,016+2%
80205Denver County$2,012+2%
80230Denver County$2,001+1%
80249Denver County$1,9810%
80204Denver County$1,958-1%
80216Denver County$1,941-2%
80206Denver County$1,894-4%
80237Denver County$1,827-8%
80222Arapahoe County$1,814-8%
80220Denver County$1,805-9%
80239Denver County$1,768-11%
80247Denver County$1,759-11%
80224Denver County$1,584-20%
80203Denver County$1,553-22%
80218Denver County$1,512-24%
80231Arapahoe County$1,457-26%
80246Denver County$1,420-28%

Rent by bedroom count in Denver

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Denver County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,751+6.6%
1 bedroom$1,831+4.4%
2 bedroom$2,169+3.8%
3 bedroom$2,846+4.1%
4 bedroom$3,183+4.4%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Denver?

Typical rent across Denver County is $1,894 as of August 2026. That is about level with a year earlier and up 7.8% over five years. The Denver rent report compares these rents with Section 8 voucher rents ZIP by ZIP.

YearTypical rent, Denver CountyChange
2021$1,840+14.8%
2022$1,912+3.9%
2023$1,949+2.0%
2024$1,930-1.0%
2025$1,897-1.7%
2026 (through August)$1,894-0.1%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Denver rent questions

What is the average rent in Denver, CO?
Typical asking rent in Denver is $1,981 a month as of July 2026, across 27 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,420 to $2,596.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Denver?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Denver County is $2,169 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,831 and a three bedroom is $2,846. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Denver?
Rent is flat. Typical rent in Denver County is $1,894 as of August 2026, within half a percent of a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Denver?
ZIP 80246 has the lowest typical asking rent in Denver at $1,420 a month, compared with $1,981 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Denver?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Denver rent of $1,981, that is about $5,943 a month, or $71,316 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Denver sits in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metro area.

Other Colorado cities

Would a rental in Denver cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Denver median rent of $1,981 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.