Average Rent in Lakeland, FL (2026)

Typical asking rent in Lakeland is $1,791. Across the 9 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,514 to $2,129, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of July 2026.

Median rent
$1,791
Average rent
$1,801
Lowest ZIP
$1,514
Highest ZIP
$2,129

Rent by ZIP code in Lakeland

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
33813Polk County$2,129+19%
33811Polk County$2,042+14%
33810Polk County$1,943+8%
33812Polk County$1,918+7%
33815Polk County$1,7910%
33809Polk County$1,694-5%
33803Polk County$1,596-11%
33805Polk County$1,579-12%
33801Polk County$1,514-15%

Rent by bedroom count in Lakeland

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 Polk 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. Polk County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,800 to $1,820 depending on the Lakeland ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,258+2.6%
1 bedroom$1,338+8.8%
2 bedroom$1,608+7.4%
3 bedroom$2,212+9.3%
4 bedroom$2,688+7.0%

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

Is rent going up or down in Lakeland?

Typical rent across Polk County is $1,840 as of August 2026. That is up 1.3% from a year earlier and up 19.1% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Polk CountyChange
2021$1,642+19.8%
2022$1,763+7.4%
2023$1,786+1.3%
2024$1,806+1.1%
2025$1,822+0.9%
2026 (through August)$1,840+1.0%

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.

Lakeland rent questions

What is the average rent in Lakeland, FL?
Typical asking rent in Lakeland is $1,791 a month as of July 2026, across 9 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,514 to $2,129.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Lakeland?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Polk County is $1,608 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,338 and a three bedroom is $2,212. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Lakeland?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Polk County is $1,840 as of August 2026, up 1.3% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Lakeland?
ZIP 33801 has the lowest typical asking rent in Lakeland at $1,514 a month, compared with $1,791 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Lakeland?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Lakeland rent of $1,791, that is about $5,373 a month, or $64,476 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. Lakeland sits in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area.

Other Florida cities

Would a rental in Lakeland cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Lakeland median rent of $1,791 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.