Rent Relief

Rent prices are on the decline in Houston, but not for long

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Complexes that stayed dry during the massive natural disaster have now been slammed with applications for new occupants. Many are willing to pay top-dollar to get into a livable apartment.

Photo courtesy of Houston Apartment Association

Abodo Apartments released its newest rent report, analyzing rental price trends from September to October. But, as we all know, monthly trends are somewhat volatile (especially in times of natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey) and don’t always tell the true story. Although it’s important to keep up with monthly trends, quarterly trends really start to tell a story about a local market, such as Houston.

As the fourth quarter begins, Abodo examined trends in the Houston rental market to take a close look at how the fast-growing city stacks up against the rest of the country. So, what happened in the Houston rental market last quarter, and what should we expect to happen in the wake of Hurricane Harvey?

Here are the findings:

Rent prices in Houston decreased from July to the end of September by 12.65 percent.
The median price of a one-bedroom apartment in Houston in July was $1,184.
The median rent price of a one-bedroom apartment in Houston as of the end of September was $1,051.
The median rent price of a two-bedroom apartment in Houston as of the end of September was $1,217.
Houston ranks as the 33rd most expensive rental market in the country.

What does this tell us about the rental market in Houston going forward? Relief for renters in Houston was in progress, as the city saw some of the largest decreases in Q3; however, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, expect rent prices to rise once again. Complexes that somehow stayed dry in the city during the massive natural disaster have now been slammed with applications for new occupants, and many people are willing to pay top-dollar to get into a livable apartment. This, in itself, will bring higher rent prices and a “landlord’s market” all across the city.

With all that said, Abodo anticipates that rent prices in Houston will reverse from the Q3 trends and take a turn for the worst for renters. Demand is high. Supply is low. And a huge number of apartments need massive repair to become livable once again. Until the supply catches up with the demand, it’s likely that renters will see large increases in available units.

To gather this data, Abodo Apartments aggregates and analyzes data from the millions of verified listings on abodo.com. Each listing is paired with a five-digit ZIP code, and within each ZIP code, Abodo calculates the average price of one-bedroom apartments that are currently available for rent within a specified time period.

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This affluent Houston enclave is the richest small town in Texas

Facebook / City of Bellaire, Texas

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Affluent Houston neighbor Bellaire is cashing in as the richest small town in Texas for 2025, according to new study from GoBankingRates.

The report, "The Richest Small Town in Every State," used data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey to determine the 50 richest small towns in America based on their median household income.

Of course, Houstonians realize that describing Bellaire as a "small town" is a bit of misnomer. Located less than 10 miles from downtown and fully surrounded by the City of Houston, Bellaire is a wealthy enclave that boasts a population of just over 17,000 residents. These affluent citizens earn a median $236,311 in income every year, which GoBankingRates says is the 11th highest household median income out of all 50 cities included in the report.

The average home in this city is worth over $1.12 million, but Bellaire's lavish residential reputation often attracts properties with multi-million-dollar price tags.

Bellaire also earned a shining 81 livability score for its top quality schools, health and safety, commute times, and more. The livability index, provided by Toronto, Canada-based data analytics and real estate platform AreaVibes, said Bellaire has "an abundance of exceptional local amenities."

"Among these are conveniently located grocery stores, charming coffee shops, diverse dining options and plenty of spacious parks," AreaVibes said. "These local amenities contribute significantly to its overall appeal, ensuring that [residents'] daily needs are met and offering ample opportunities for leisure and recreation."

Many popular Houston restaurants are setting their sights on this wealthy enclave. Detroit-style pizzamakers Gold Tooth Tony’s opened its second pizza joint in Bellaire in 2024. And most recently, Michelin-recognized Tex-Mex restaurant Candente announced it would open a second location just down the street from Gold Tooth Tony's at 5101 Bellaire Blvd.

Earlier in 2025, GoBankingRates ranked Bellaire as the No. 23 wealthiest suburb in America, and it's no stranger to being named on similar lists comparing the richest American cities.

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