Average Rent in Raleigh, NC (2026)

Typical asking rent in Raleigh is $1,592. Across the 15 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,395 to $2,088, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of July 2026.

Median rent
$1,592
Average rent
$1,618
Lowest ZIP
$1,395
Highest ZIP
$2,088

Rent by ZIP code in Raleigh

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
27608Wake County$2,088+31%
27610Wake County$1,866+17%
27603Wake County$1,723+8%
27605Wake County$1,717+8%
27601Wake County$1,699+7%
27604Wake County$1,616+2%
27616Wake County$1,607+1%
27607Wake County$1,5920%
27614Wake County$1,538-3%
27617Wake County$1,513-5%
27615Wake County$1,499-6%
27606Wake County$1,496-6%
27609Wake County$1,463-8%
27612Wake County$1,461-8%
27613Wake County$1,395-12%

Rent by bedroom count in Raleigh

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 Wake 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. Wake County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,420 to $1,950 depending on the Raleigh ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,489-2.3%
1 bedroom$1,552-2.8%
2 bedroom$1,689-3.5%
3 bedroom$2,103-4.2%
4 bedroom$2,823-3.8%

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

Is rent going up or down in Raleigh?

Typical rent across Wake County is $1,665 as of August 2026. That is up 1.0% from a year earlier and up 13.9% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Wake CountyChange
2021$1,537+17.0%
2022$1,636+6.4%
2023$1,644+0.5%
2024$1,648+0.2%
2025$1,649+0.1%
2026 (through August)$1,665+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.

Raleigh rent questions

What is the average rent in Raleigh, NC?
Typical asking rent in Raleigh is $1,592 a month as of July 2026, across 15 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,395 to $2,088.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Raleigh?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Wake County is $1,689 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,552 and a three bedroom is $2,103. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Raleigh?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Wake County is $1,665 as of August 2026, up 1.0% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Raleigh?
ZIP 27613 has the lowest typical asking rent in Raleigh at $1,395 a month, compared with $1,592 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Raleigh?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Raleigh rent of $1,592, that is about $4,776 a month, or $57,312 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. Raleigh sits in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area.

Other North Carolina cities

Would a rental in Raleigh cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Raleigh median rent of $1,592 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.