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Average Rent in Central City & Rent Trends
Rent prices and market trends across 10 apartment communities in Central City, Phoenix, AZ. Updated daily.
Market Average
$2,496/mo
▼ 1% from last month
Lowest Available
$850/mo
cheapest unit on market
Communities
10
tracked daily
Units Listed
279
available now
Price Cuts This Week in Central City
13 listed units across 3 buildings in Central City dropped their asking rent in the past 7 days, an average cut of $55/mo. These are the largest cuts, tracked unit by unit with daily price checks.
| Apartment | Unit | Last Week | Now | Cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muse Apartments | Unit 9, B4 | $2,446 | $2,293 | $153 |
| The Stewart | Unit 1805, Otis | $3,419 | $3,334 | $85 |
| Muse Apartments | Unit 8, B2 | $1,909 | $1,839 | $70 |
| The McKinley | Unit 208, UNIT 18 | $2,650 | $2,590 | $60 |
| The McKinley | Unit 4, Unit # 208 | $2,650 | $2,590 | $60 |
| The McKinley | Unit 421, UNIT 2 | $1,440 | $1,390 | $50 |
| Muse Apartments | Unit 7, B1 | $1,930 | $1,888 | $42 |
| The McKinley | Unit 1, Unit # 511 | $1,633 | $1,599 | $34 |
Central City vs Phoenix, AZ Average
Central City is more expensive than the Phoenix, AZ average by $533/mo (27%). The citywide average is $1,963/mo across all neighborhoods.
Is Rent Going Up or Down in Central City?
As of September 2026, the average rent in Central City is $2,496 per month across 10 apartment communities and 279 available units. Rents have decreased $26 (1%) over the past month.
The most affordable option is Sora starting at $850/mo. By unit type, a studio averages $1,853/mo, a 1-bedroom averages $2,170/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $3,639/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $4,886/mo.
Prices range from $850 to $7,536 per month. The most common price point is the $1,800 range, where 47 units are currently listed.
Central City Rent Price History
View as table
| Month | Avg Rent | Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | $2,104 | - | 10 |
| September 2026 | $2,192 | +$88 | 10 |
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.
Average Rent by Bedroom
Rent Price Distribution
Rent by Bedroom Type in Central City
Rent Prices by Apartment in Central City
| Property | Starting at | Average | Units | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sora | $850/mo | $1,272/mo | 24 | 4.1 |
| Muse Apartments | $1,250/mo | $1,776/mo | 11 | 4.1 |
| Union @ Roosevelt | $1,288/mo | $1,947/mo | 6 | 4.3 |
| The Stewart | $1,382/mo | $2,026/mo | 33 | 4 |
| The McKinley | $1,390/mo | $2,043/mo | 17 | 4.4 |
| Brix Warehouse District | $1,394/mo | $1,394/mo | 1 | 4.4 |
| The Ryan Apartments | $1,582/mo | $2,580/mo | 27 | 4.5 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in Central City
What is the average rent in Central City?
Is rent going up or down in Central City?
What is the cheapest apartment in Central City?
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Central City?
How many apartments are available in Central City?
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Central City?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$100,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $2,496/mo.
Comfortable income
$120,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($850/mo), you need to earn at least $34,000/year.
Median household income in Central City is $77,041 , about 36% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in Central City
Overall prices in Central City 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 Central City's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $2,496 |
| Utilities | $534 |
| Groceries | $531 |
| Transportation | $1,274 |
| Healthcare | $621 |
| Other goods and services | $994 |
| Estimated total | $6,452/mo |
Population
1,624,832
Median household income
$77,041
Census median rent
$1,458/mo
Census rent burden
30.4%
Median age
34.8
Mean commute
26 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.
Google Search Trends for Central City Apartments
Search interest for apartments in this area over the past 12 months.
Search Interest Over Time
Explore Central City Apartments
Browse all 10 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.