Texas Rents Hit New Lows

Texas Leads the Nation in Falling Rent Prices

A new Zumper rent report shows that Texas is experiencing some of the steepest annual rent declines in the country, with Houston rental prices falling by nearly 15 percent since August 2025.

Zumper’s monthly report examines one- and two-bedroom rental prices in 100 U.S. cities, comparing both monthly and year-over-year changes.

Austin, Houston, and Dallas ranked as the top three U.S. cities for the largest declines in one-bedroom rents.

In Houston, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment fell to $1,050 in August, down 14.6 percent from the same month last year. Two-bedroom rents also declined, dropping 5.4 percent year-over-year to $1,400 per month.

The trend is similar across several of Texas’ largest metropolitan areas. According to Zumper, the state’s rental market is being influenced by an abundance of multifamily housing that was built during years of strong development. As that inventory continues to be absorbed, renters are gaining more negotiating power.

Zumper CEO Shawn Mullahy said Texas demonstrates what happens when housing supply significantly exceeds demand. Austin, Houston, and Dallas added substantial amounts of new rental inventory, giving renters more leverage as property owners compete to attract tenants. He noted that conditions are unlikely to shift until enough of the available housing supply is absorbed.

Nationally, Zumper’s August 2026 Rent Index showed that the median one-bedroom rent declined 0.1 percent year-over-year to $1,515. Meanwhile, the median two-bedroom rent increased 0.5 percent to $1,907.

Rent Prices Across Texas

Austin recorded the largest decline in the nation for both one- and two-bedroom rents in August. A one-bedroom apartment in the state capital averaged $1,260 per month, down 16.6 percent from August 2025. Two-bedroom rents fell even more sharply, declining 19.1 percent to $1,610 per month.

Dallas also saw a significant drop in one-bedroom rents. Prices fell 13 percent year-over-year to $1,270, while two-bedroom rents declined 13.4 percent to $1,810.

Other North Texas cities also recorded year-over-year declines. In Plano, one-bedroom rents fell 7.1 percent to $1,310 per month. Irving’s one-bedroom rents averaged $1,210, down 4.7 percent from the previous year.

In Fort Worth and Arlington, one-bedroom apartments averaged $1,160 and $1,080 per month, respectively. Fort Worth saw a 3.3 percent decline, while Arlington’s one-bedroom rent remained unchanged from 2025.

Two-bedroom rental prices across the Dallas-Fort Worth area in August were:

• Plano: $1,920 per month, down 3.5 percent year-over-year

• Irving: $1,620 per month, down 4.7 percent

• Fort Worth: $1,530 per month, down 5.5 percent

• Arlington: $1,460 per month, down 2.8 percent

San Antonio also experienced lower rental prices. One-bedroom rents fell 8.6 percent year-over-year to $960 per month, while two-bedroom rents declined 4.5 percent to $1,260.

Overall, the latest figures point to a cooling Texas rental market, with increased housing supply giving renters more options and greater negotiating power as landlords compete to fill available units.