Last updated
Average Rent in Tempe 85281 & Rent Trends
Rent prices and market trends across 17 apartment communities in Tempe 85281, Tempe, AZ. Updated daily.
Market Average
$2,055/mo
▲ +9.1% from last month
Lowest Available
$899/mo
cheapest unit on market
Communities
17
tracked daily
Units Listed
216
available now
Tempe 85281 vs Tempe, AZ Average
Tempe 85281 is more expensive the Tempe, AZ average by $25/mo (1%). The citywide average is $2,030/mo across all neighborhoods.
Is Rent Going Up or Down in Tempe 85281?
As of May 2026, the average rent in Tempe 85281 is $2,055 per month across 17 apartment communities and 216 available units. Rents have increased $174 (9.1%) over the past month.
The most affordable option is Parq on 5th Apartments starting at $899/mo. By unit type, a studio averages $1,924/mo, a 1-bedroom averages $1,886/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $2,387/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $3,485/mo, a 4-bedroom averages $1,272/mo, a 5-bedroom averages $1,199/mo.
Prices range from $899 to $15,000 per month. The most common price point is the $1,600 range, where 48 units are currently listed.
Tempe 85281 Rent Price History
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parq on 5th Apartments | $899/mo | $1,202/mo | 5 | 3.6 |
| VERVE Tempe | $1,124/mo | $1,308/mo | 6 | 5 |
| Vertex Apartments | $1,199/mo | $1,199/mo | 2 | 3.5 |
| The Piedmont | $1,279/mo | $1,289/mo | 2 | 4.6 |
| Vero | $1,353/mo | $1,825/mo | 57 | 4.3 |
| Vela at Tempe Town Lake | $1,386/mo | $1,869/mo | 21 | 4.1 |
| The Local Apartments | $1,399/mo | $2,204/mo | 10 | 4.3 |
Google Search Trends for Tempe 85281 Apartments
Search interest for apartments in this area over the past 12 months.
Search Interest Over Time
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
$82,000/year
30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $2,055/mo.
Comfortable income
$99,000/year
25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($899/mo), you need to earn at least $36,000/year.
Median household income in Tempe 85281 is $77,643 , about 21% 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 |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $2,055 |
| Utilities | $534 |
| Groceries | $531 |
| Transportation | $1,274 |
| Healthcare | $621 |
| Other goods and services | $994 |
| Estimated total | $6,011/mo |
Population
186,419
Median household income
$77,643
Census median rent
$1,623/mo
Rent as % of income
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.
Explore Tempe 85281 Apartments
Browse all 17 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.