Apartment List Tucson Rent Report: May 2026

TUCSON, AZ (April 29, 2026) — Apartment List reports that Tucson rents edged higher in May, with the city’s overall median rent rising 0.8% from the previous month to $1,029. Despite the monthly increase, rents remain 2.7% lower than they were a year ago.

The latest figures suggest Tucson’s rental market is seeing modest near-term movement while still reflecting softer pricing compared with last year. Read on for a closer look at local rent trends and how Tucson compares with rental markets across the country.

Tucson rents are up 0.8% month-over-month and down 2.7% year-over-year

The median rent in Tucson rose by 0.8% in April and has now decreased by 2.7% over the past 12 months. Tucson’s rent growth over the past year has outpaced the state average (-4.3%) but fallen behind the national average (-1.7%).

Tucson rent growth in 2026 is pacing above last year

Four months into the year, rents in Tucson have risen 1.0%. This is a faster rate of growth compared to what the city was experiencing at this point last year: from January to April 2025, rents had decreased 0.9%.

April rent growth in Tucson ranked #30 among large U.S. cities

Tucson rents rose 0.8% over the past month, compared with the national rate of 0.4%. Among the nation’s 100 largest cities, this ranks #30. Similar monthly rent growth took place in Arlington, VA (0.9%) and Madison, WI (0.8%).

Month-over-Month Rent Growth Among 100 Largest Cities In the U.S.

Tucson is the #98 most expensive large city in the U.S., with a median rent of $1,029

Citywide, the median rent currently stands at $858 for a 1-bedroom apartment and $1,101 for a 2-bedroom. Across all bedroom sizes (ie, the entire rental market), the median rent is $1,029. That ranks #98 among the country’s 100 largest cities.

For comparison, the median rent nationwide is $1,204 for a 1-bedroom, $1,356 for a 2-bedroom, and $1,370 overall. The median rent in Tucson is 24.9% lower than the national median, and is similar to the prices you would find in Cleveland, OH ($1,034) and Wichita, KS ($1,027).

Median Overall Rent Among 100 Largest Cities In the U.S.

Methodology

Apartment List is committed to the accuracy and transparency of our rent estimates. We begin with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, capturing apartment transactions over time to provide an accurate picture of rent growth across cities nationwide. Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. For more details, please see the Apartment List Rent Estimate Methodology.

Data Access

Apartment List publishes monthly rent reports and underlying data for hundreds of cities nationwide, as well as aggregated data for counties, metros, and states. These data are intended to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions. Insights from our data are covered regularly by journalists across the country. To access the data yourself, please visit our Data Downloads Page.