Last updated
Average Rent in Tempe 85281 & Rent Trends
Rent prices and market trends across 25 apartment communities in Tempe 85281, Tempe, AZ. Updated daily.
Market Average
$1,537/mo
▼ 12.1% from last month
Lowest Available
$849/mo
cheapest unit on market
Communities
25
tracked daily
Units Listed
617
available now
Rent Watch: cuts and increases
Open Rent Watch →See current options while we confirm new price comparisons. Filter by bedrooms and budget, then inspect each building’s history.
Tempe 85281 vs Tempe, AZ Average
Tempe 85281 is cheaper than the Tempe, AZ average by $27/mo (2%). The citywide average is $1,564/mo across all neighborhoods.
Is Rent Going Up or Down in Tempe 85281?
As of October 2026, the average rent in Tempe 85281 is $1,537 per month across 25 apartment communities and 617 available units. Rents have decreased $212 (12.1%) over the past month.
The most affordable option is The District on Apache starting at $849/mo. By unit type, a studio averages $1,592/mo, a 1-bedroom averages $1,820/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $1,714/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $1,306/mo, a 4-bedroom averages $951/mo.
Prices range from $849 to $4,947 per month. The most common price point is the $800 range, where 115 units are currently listed.
Tempe 85281 Rent Price History
View as table
| Month | Avg Rent | Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | $2,021 | - | 13 |
| May 2026 | $2,061 | +$40 | 17 |
| June 2026 | $1,983 | -$78 | 19 |
| July 2026 | $1,748 | -$235 | 23 |
| August 2026 | $1,779 | +$31 | 25 |
| September 2026 | $1,769 | -$10 | 25 |
| October 2026 | $1,737 | -$32 | 23 |
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 Tempe 85281
Rent Prices by Apartment in Tempe 85281
| Property | Starting at | Average | Units | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The District on Apache | $849/mo | $1,000/mo | 136 | 4 |
| Flare Tempe | $899/mo | $1,238/mo | 16 | 4.1 |
| Encore On Farmer Apartments | $912/mo | $947/mo | 2 | 4.2 |
| Parq on 5th Apartments | $988/mo | $1,221/mo | 21 | 3.6 |
| Vertex Apartments | $999/mo | $1,225/mo | 68 | 3.5 |
| Emerson Mill Avenue | $1,279/mo | $1,279/mo | 1 | 4.5 |
| Rio Paradiso | $1,321/mo | $1,535/mo | 11 | 3.9 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in Tempe 85281
What is the average rent in Tempe 85281?
Is rent going up or down in Tempe 85281?
What is the cheapest apartment in Tempe 85281?
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Tempe 85281?
How many apartments are available 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
$61,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,537/mo.
Comfortable income
$74,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($849/mo), you need to earn at least $34,000/year.
Median household income in Tempe 85281 is $77,643 , about 5% above 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 |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $1,537 |
| Utilities | $534 |
| Groceries | $531 |
| Transportation | $1,274 |
| Healthcare | $621 |
| Other goods and services | $994 |
| Estimated total | $5,493/mo |
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.
Google Search Trends for Tempe 85281 Apartments
Search interest for apartments in this area over the past 12 months.
Search Interest Over Time
Explore Tempe 85281 Apartments
Browse all 25 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.