Last updated October 15, 2026

Average Rent in Tempe 85281 & Rent Trends

Rent prices and market trends across 17 apartment communities in Tempe 85281, Tempe, AZ. Updated daily.

Area All Areas Brentwood-Cavalier

Tempe 85281

Beds All Bedrooms Studio 1 Bed 2 Bed 3 Bed 4 Bed

Market Average

$1,829/mo

Lowest Available

$982/mo

cheapest unit on market

Communities

tracked daily

Units Listed

100

available now

Rent Watch: cuts and increases

Open Rent Watch →

5 cuts and 0 increases among 17 comparable listings this week. Filter by bedrooms and budget, then inspect each building’s history.

SALT
↓ $78/mo
Cut of 3.6% · Unit 3030

Tempe 85281 vs Tempe, AZ Average

Tempe 85281 is cheaper than the Tempe, AZ average by $119/mo (6%). The citywide average is $1,948/mo across all neighborhoods.

Is Rent Going Up or Down in Tempe 85281?

As of October 2026, the average rent in Tempe 85281 is $1,829 per month across 17 apartment communities and 100 available units.

The most affordable option is Encore On Farmer Apartments starting at $982/mo. By unit type, a 1-bedroom averages $1,829/mo.

Prices range from $982 to $2,399 per month. The most common price point is the $1,600 range, where 31 units are currently listed.

Tempe 85281 Rent Price History

Timeframe

View as table

Month	Avg Rent	Change	Properties
April 2026	$2,017	-	11
May 2026	$2,045	+$28	16
June 2026	$1,985	-$60	18
July 2026	$1,806	-$179	20
August 2026	$1,866	+$60	22
September 2026	$1,833	-$33	22
October 2026	$1,819	-$14	21

The trend line and monthly averages track each building's average listed price, recorded daily with outliers trimmed. The current month is a month-to-date figure, so it can sit above or below today's live market average shown at the top of this page.

Rent Price Distribution

Rent by Bedroom Type in Tempe 85281

1 Bed

$1,829

from $982 · 100 units

Rent Prices by Apartment in Tempe 85281

Property	Starting at	Average	Units	Rating
Encore On Farmer Apartments	$982/mo	$982/mo	1	4.2
Parq on 5th Apartments	$999/mo	$1,103/mo	6	3.6
Emerson Mill Avenue	$1,279/mo	$1,279/mo	1	4.5
The Palms on Scottsdale Apartments	$1,335/mo	$1,335/mo	1	3.9
Metro 101	$1,411/mo	$1,468/mo	4	4
The Hyve	$1,475/mo	$1,658/mo	3	4
Hudson on Farmer	$1,590/mo	$1,590/mo	1	4.1
West 6th	$1,604/mo	$1,993/mo	8	3
Norte Town Lake Apartments	$1,607/mo	$1,725/mo	10	4.6
NOVO Broadway Apartments	$1,629/mo	$1,651/mo	7	4.4
Northbend Apartments	$1,658/mo	$1,770/mo	10	4.6
The Local Apartments	$1,674/mo	$1,674/mo	1	4.3
Vero	$1,742/mo	$1,896/mo	8	4.3
Skywater at Tempe Town Lake	$1,745/mo	$1,835/mo	7	3.7
Trovita Rio	$1,808/mo	$1,876/mo	7	4.2
The Alyssa	$1,952/mo	$2,203/mo	20	4.8
SALT	$2,099/mo	$2,194/mo	5	3.5

Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in Tempe 85281

What is the average rent in Tempe 85281?

The average rent in Tempe 85281 is $1,829 per month as of October 2026, based on 100 units across 17 apartment communities.

Is rent going up or down in Tempe 85281?

The current average rent in Tempe 85281 is $1,829/mo, refreshed daily to track rent trends.

What is the cheapest apartment in Tempe 85281?

The most affordable apartment in Tempe 85281 is Encore On Farmer Apartments with units starting at $982/mo.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Tempe 85281?

A 1-bedroom apartment in Tempe 85281 averages $1,829/mo, with prices starting at $982/mo across 100 available units.

How many apartments are available in Tempe 85281?

There are 100 units available across 17 apartment communities in Tempe 85281.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Tempe 85281?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$73,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,829/mo.

Comfortable income

$88,000/year

Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($982/mo), you need to earn at least $39,000/year.

Median household income in Tempe 85281 is $77,643 , about 12% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Tempe 85281

Overall prices in Tempe 85281 runs above the national average by about 5% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 104.7, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Tempe 85281's regional price parities.

Category	Monthly estimate	Source
Rent (market average)	$1,829	daily refresh
Utilities	$534	BLS × BEA RPP
Groceries	$531	BLS × BEA RPP
Transportation	$1,274	BLS × BEA RPP
Healthcare	$621	BLS × BEA RPP
Other goods and services	$994	BLS × BEA RPP
Estimated total	$5,785/mo	$69,414/year

Population

186,419

Median household income

$77,643

Census median rent

$1,623/mo

Census rent burden

30.9%

Median age

29.9

Mean commute

21 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

Arizona Rent Trends

Compare rent across all Arizona cities

Explore Tempe, AZ on Map

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US-wide rent comparison

See how Tempe, AZ rents stack up against the national median