Rent by ZIP code in Brownsville
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78526 | Cameron County | $1,930 | +28% |
| 78520 | Cameron County | $1,512 | 0% |
| 78521 | Cameron County | $1,424 | -6% |
Rent by bedroom count in Brownsville
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 Cameron 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 size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $827 | +7.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $884 | +2.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,042 | -0.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,393 | -1.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,496 | +1.1% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Brownsville?
Typical rent across Cameron County is $1,463 as of August 2026. That is up 3.7% from a year earlier and up 32.6% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Cameron County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,141 | +10.3% |
| 2022 | $1,262 | +10.6% |
| 2023 | $1,317 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $1,372 | +4.1% |
| 2025 | $1,416 | +3.3% |
| 2026 (through August) | $1,463 | +3.3% |
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.
Brownsville rent questions
- What is the average rent in Brownsville, TX?
- Typical asking rent in Brownsville is $1,512 a month as of July 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,424 to $1,930.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Brownsville?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Cameron County is $1,042 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $884 and a three bedroom is $1,393. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Brownsville?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Cameron County is $1,463 as of August 2026, up 3.7% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Brownsville?
- ZIP 78521 has the lowest typical asking rent in Brownsville at $1,424 a month, compared with $1,512 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Brownsville?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Brownsville rent of $1,512, that is about $4,536 a month, or $54,432 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. Brownsville sits in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area.