Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Baltimore, MD
The average asking rent in Baltimore, MD is $1,948/month as of 2026-08. That is +2.6% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,948/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+2.6%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Baltimore, MD.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $1,948 | +0.31% |
| 2026-07 | $1,942 | +0.62% |
| 2026-06 | $1,930 | +0.31% |
| 2026-05 | $1,924 | +0.31% |
| 2026-04 | $1,918 | +0.10% |
| 2026-03 | $1,916 | +0.21% |
| 2026-02 | $1,912 | +0.26% |
| 2026-01 | $1,907 | +0.42% |
| 2025-12 | $1,899 | +0.05% |
| 2025-11 | $1,898 | -0.05% |
| 2025-10 | $1,899 | -0.16% |
| 2025-09 | $1,902 | +0.21% |
| 2025-08 | $1,898 | +0.21% |
| 2025-07 | $1,894 | +0.26% |
| 2025-06 | $1,889 | +0.16% |
| 2025-05 | $1,886 | +0.32% |
| 2025-04 | $1,880 | +0.27% |
| 2025-03 | $1,875 | +0.59% |
| 2025-02 | $1,864 | +0.38% |
| 2025-01 | $1,857 | +0.38% |
| 2024-12 | $1,850 | +0.05% |
| 2024-11 | $1,849 | -0.11% |
| 2024-10 | $1,851 | +0.00% |
| 2024-09 | $1,851 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices