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Tucson, AZ

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Tucson, AZ is $1,402 per month, ranking #241 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $67,929, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 24.8% of income on housing. Rent in Tucson has increased 4.9% year over year. The area has a population of 1.0M, with 35.2% of households renting.

24.8%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,402
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$67,929
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,154
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+4.9%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
1.0M
Population
Census ACS
35.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$286,900
Median Home Value
9.3%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
14.4%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$967
Studio
$1,081
1 Bedroom
$1,402
2 Bedroom
$1,950
3 Bedroom
$2,245
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Tucson, AZ, a household earning the area median income of $67,929 would spend 24.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$56,080
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$27
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,154
$248 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+46.2% since 2021
$9592021$1,0012022$1,1752023$1,3372024$1,3732025$1,4022026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Arizona is $14.70/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 73.4 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Tucson is 14.4%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$14.70/hr
Hours/Week Needed
73.4 hrs
Poverty Rate
14.4%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Tucson is $286,900. At a median income of $67,929, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 4.2x. 9.3% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,008 est. mortgage
vs $1,402 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
9.3%
of housing units

Other Areas in Arizona

Flagstaff
$1,921/mo
2BR FMR · 33.1% burden
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
$1,839/mo
2BR FMR · 26.1% burden
Prescott Valley-Prescott
$1,637/mo
2BR FMR · 29.7% burden
Yuma
$1,382/mo
2BR FMR · 27.4% burden
Lake Havasu City-Kingman
$1,365/mo
2BR FMR · 29.4% burden

Compare Tucson

vs Flagstaff, AZvs Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZvs Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ

Areas With Similar Rent to Tucson

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Tucson, AZ is $1,402 per month. A studio is $967/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,081/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,950/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,154/mo.

Tucson has a rent burden of 24.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $67,929 would spend 24.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $56,080.

Tucson's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,402/mo is $152 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Tucson ranks #241 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Tucson without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $56,080, or a full-time hourly wage of $27/hour. The area median income is $67,929.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Tucson increased by 4.9% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.