Sticker shock

This Dallas-Fort Worth city sees biggest spike in apartment rents, says new report

Roosevelt at Arlington Commons apartments

The Roosevelt at Arlington Commons offers one- and two-bedroom apartments near all the action in Arlington.

Renters, take note: While apartment rents in Dallas proper are falling, they're rising in some suburbs — especially Arlington.

A report released December 28 by Apartment List shows rents in 2020 skyrocketed 5.1 percent in Arlington, representing the biggest one-year spike in DFW. Apartment List says median rent in Arlington was $1,010 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,230 for a two-bedroom apartment.

In other words, if you want to live between all the action in Dallas and Fort Worth, keep an eye on that upward trend.

Contrast that with Richardson, which saw a year-over-year decrease in median rents (4.8 percent). That was the biggest drop among the Dallas-Fort Worth cities tracked by Apartment List. Median rents in Richardson were $1,230 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,440 for a two-bedroom apartment.

Dallas proper — where rent fell 2.6 percent last year — remains more affordable than most other large cities across the country, the report notes. Nationwide, rents have fallen by 1.5 percent over the past year. A one-bedroom apartment in Dallas runs $980, and two-bedroom, $1,170. By comparison, San Francisco has a median two-bedroom rent of $2,305, which is nearly twice the amount in Dallas.

Still, you have to look at the suburbs to get the complete picture. Rents have risen in six of the largest 10 cities the DFW area for which Apartment List had data. Plano has the most expensive rents in DFW, with a two-bedroom median of $1,528. Fort Worth has the least expensive rents in the area, with a two-bedroom median of $1,116.

In Texas overall, rent declined 2.1 percent last year. A snapshot throughout the state shows:

Houston posted a decrease of 3.5 percent last year. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Houston stood at $900 a month; for a two-bedroom apartment, it was $1,070. However, rents have gone up in five of the 11 largest cities in the Houston metro area.
Rents in in the popular beach destination Galveston dropped 3.5 percent over a year’s time. Median rent there is $890 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,130 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to Apartment List.
In Austin, median rents took a year-over-year slide of 5.4 percent, accounting for the biggest fall-off among major Texas cities tracked by Apartment List. Rent was $1,090 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,440 for a two-bedroom apartment.
In San Antonio, median rents slipped 1 percent year over year, with a one-bedroom apartment going for $893 and a two-bedroom apartment for $1,083.

rent

ZIP-ing to TX

This Dallas neighbor is the No. 2 hottest ZIP code to move to in 2026

Facebook/Visit McKinney

McKinney is booming.

A new migration report has reaffirmed Texas as one of the hottest destinations for movers during the first half of 2026, and one Dallas suburb is attracting more movers than almost any other ZIP code in America.

Nearly 5.3 million moves were recorded throughout the U.S. during the first six months of the year, according to MovingPlace's new 2026 mid-year migration report. An astounding eight of the top 10 U.S. ZIP codes attracting the most movers are based in Texas, with McKinney's 75071 ZIP code ranking No. 2 nationally for the highest number of moves during that timeframe.

Over 2,800 moves have been recorded in 75071, which stretches east from North Coit Road at University Drive to U.S. Highway 75. The ZIP code is bordered by Virginia Parkway to the south and goes as far north as McKinney North/Celina Koa Holiday RV park.

McKinney has blossomed into a bustling hub for North Texas families over the last several years, and frequently tops annual lists of the best Texas cities to move to.

"[McKinney] remained one of the country’s most active moving destinations, benefiting from the continued expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex," the report said. "The city’s combination of highly rated schools, master-planned communities, and access to major employment centers has made it a consistent draw for families moving within North Texas and relocating from other states."

The city boasts a population of about 69,400 residents, a median household income of $132,447, and it has also been crowned the No. 1 real estate market in America for three years in a row. According to MovingPlace's data, its median home price sits at $448,500.

Other hot ZIPs in Dallas-Fort Worth

Aubrey's 76227 ZIP code ranked No. 9 nationally on MovingPlace's top 10 list of the hottest ZIP codes by total move volume so far in 2026. The city's population has surpassed 55,000 residents with 2,335 new moves recorded during the first half of the year.

The report designates Aubrey as one of the "most active emerging communities" in North Texas thanks to "continued development along the US-380 corridor." Homes for sale in the 76227 area have a median price of just under $335,000.

"The area has become increasingly popular among buyers looking for newer construction, larger lots, and more attainable prices compared with established DFW suburbs," the report said.

In MovingPlace's per-capita rankings — which compared the ZIP codes where new residents moved at the highest rate relative to the existing population — two more North Texas ZIPs emerged among the top 10: 75114 in Crandall and 75166 in Lavon.

Crandall's 75114 ZIP code has the second-highest moves per capita in the U.S., the report found, and Lavon had the fourth-highest rate of moves per capita nationally. Both far-flung Dallas suburbs benefit from newer residential communities at "relatively attainable" price points. Median home prices in Crandall are $275,100, whereas Lavon's median home prices are a pricier $385,000.

Crandall was also named the top Texas ZIP in MovingPlace's separate list of the hottest ZIP codes in every state by move volume per capita, which "skews toward small vacation towns and fast-growing suburbs."

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