Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Albany, NY
The average asking rent in Albany, NY is $1,681/month as of 2026-05. That is +4.3% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,681/mo
as of 2026-05
Year-over-Year Change
+4.3%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Albany, NY.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05 | $1,681 | +0.90% |
| 2026-04 | $1,666 | +0.73% |
| 2026-03 | $1,654 | +0.67% |
| 2026-02 | $1,643 | +0.24% |
| 2026-01 | $1,639 | +0.37% |
| 2025-12 | $1,633 | +0.18% |
| 2025-11 | $1,630 | -0.18% |
| 2025-10 | $1,633 | -0.06% |
| 2025-09 | $1,634 | -0.18% |
| 2025-08 | $1,637 | +0.49% |
| 2025-07 | $1,629 | +0.56% |
| 2025-06 | $1,620 | +0.56% |
| 2025-05 | $1,611 | +0.44% |
| 2025-04 | $1,604 | +1.07% |
| 2025-03 | $1,587 | +0.89% |
| 2025-02 | $1,573 | +0.51% |
| 2025-01 | $1,565 | +0.00% |
| 2024-12 | $1,565 | +0.19% |
| 2024-11 | $1,562 | +0.19% |
| 2024-10 | $1,559 | -0.32% |
| 2024-09 | $1,564 | -0.06% |
| 2024-08 | $1,565 | -0.06% |
| 2024-07 | $1,566 | +0.84% |
| 2024-06 | $1,553 | — |
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