Rent prices fall in metro Phoenix. Here’s where the best deals are now Article originally posted on AZ Central on September 2, 2025 Metro Phoenix renters signing leases right now could get a break. Rents are down in the Valley, according to new research. One-bedroom renters are seeing the biggest declines. The median rent on a one-bedroom Phoenix-area apartment has dropped almost 8% to $1,220, according to the latest Zumper National Rent Report. That decline is from August 2024 to August 2025. The Valley’s rent slide is part of a national trend. The Zumper National Rent Index for the first time reported declines in all 100 U.S. cities tracked, said the data firm’s researcher and trend tracker Crystal Chen. Metro Phoenix led the nation in 2021 with a 30% rent increase as people from pricier cities on the West and East coasts flocked to the Valley during the pandemic to work remotely from less expensive digs. Many Phoenix-area renters were hit with double-digit increases in their monthly payments in 2022. Valley rents have dipped some since then as more new apartments have gone up and expanded the once-tight supply, but the recent annual decline is among the biggest. The rent on a two-bedroom metro Phoenix apartment fell 4.4% during the past year to $1,530, according to Zumper. The Phoenix area is still more affordable than cities on the East and West coasts and ranks as the 59th most expensive U.S. rental market. Top 5 Valley cities for rent drops Glendale had the largest annual rent price tumble by almost 14% to $1,050. Phoenix was second for the biggest drop with its median rent falling about 7% to $1,210. Mesa was No. 3 with a 5.3% decrease to $1,250. Peoria came in fourth with an almost 5% dip to $1,360. Gilbert came in at No. 5 with its rent down 4.3% to $1,530. Top 5 Valley cities for the highest rents Fountain Hills tops the list of highest rent prices, with a median one-bedroom rent of $2,200. Scottsdale is second with a median of $1,690. Gilbert is No. 3 with a typical rent of $1,530. Goodyear is fourth at $1,500. Chandler came in fifth at $1,460. The 5 most affordable Valley cities for renters Glendale is the most affordable place in the Valley to rent with a median one-bedroom rent of $1,050. Phoenix is second at $1,210. Mesa ranks No. 3 with a typical rent of $1,250. Tempe is fourth at $1,300. Peoria is the fifth-most affordable at $1,360.