Insights / Austin
Austin multifamily market, October 2026
Neither side has the edge in Austin, and it is recovering: asking rents are down 0.2% on a year, while jobs grew 1.1%.
Updated October 31, 2026 · from Zillow, BLS and the US Census Bureau
What is moving now
Asking rents are down 0.2% on a year to September 2026, which is the figure the condition is read from. Jobs are up 1.1% over the same year to September 2026, a first release the BLS revises the following month. Asking rents are still below last year, but falling less than they were three months ago (September 2026).
The backdrop
These are yearly Census counts, not this month's: 6.2% of rentals sat empty in 2024, permits for new apartments were down 22% in 2025, more people moved in than out in 2025, and the typical rent was $1,784 a month in 2024. They are the background the monthly figures move against, and they are the newest the Census has published.
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Common questions about Austin
Answered from the data, updated October 31, 2026
Is the Austin rental market tight or soft right now?
In Austin right now, neither side has a clear edge, and it is recovering.
Which way is the Austin market heading?
Austin is recovering right now, as asking rents stay about flat over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly).
Is Austin a landlord's or a renter's market?
Austin is a balanced market right now, with neither side holding a clear edge.
What is the vacancy rate in Austin?
Vacancy in Austin is 6.2% in the 2024 count, a yearly snapshot rather than a monthly reading (US Census Bureau).
How much have Austin rents changed?
Asking rents in Austin are about flat over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly, latest Sep 2026).
Recent coverage
Daily, from the MetroSgnl news feed. Headlines only.
Data: Zillow ZORI, BLS, US Census Bureau, FRED, and the MetroSgnl news feed. Recomputed daily. Market information only, not investment advice.