Money
What the rent numbers on Rentvana mean
Rentvana shows several rent numbers and they rarely match, because they measure different things. A listing's price is what that one home costs today, while HUD's Fair Market Rent and the Census median gross rent describe a whole area, include utilities, and lag behind new listings. Use the area figures to size up a neighborhood and the listing price to choose a home.
Updated Last checked 3 min read
Quick answer
- All-in monthly price: rent plus required monthly fees, on Checked listings.
- Move-in total: what you pay before you get the keys.
- HUD Fair Market Rent: the 40th percentile of rent plus utilities, set yearly.
- Census median gross rent: what renters report paying, including people with old leases.
On this page
On a listing
| Number | What it is | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| All-in monthly price | Rent plus every required monthly fee, on Checked listings | Compare what you would pay each month |
| To move in | First month, security deposit and application fees, the association fee when there is one, and last month's rent when the landlord asks for it | Plan the cash you need before you get the keys |
| Rent plus fees, on MLS listings | Rent plus the fees the listing agent entered on the MLS | Compare MLS homes, then ask about any fee not listed |
On the rent pages
| Number | What it is | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| HUD Fair Market Rent | HUD's yearly estimate of rent plus utilities for a standard-quality home, at the 40th percentile, by bedroom count | See the benchmark housing authorities use to set voucher payment standards |
| Median gross rent | The middle of what renters told the Census Bureau they pay, rent plus utilities, from five years of survey answers | See what a typical renter in the area pays |
| Paying 30% or more of income | The share of renter households whose rent takes 30% or more of their income | Get a feel for how stretched renters are in an area |
Why they don't match
The Census median includes people who signed their lease years ago, so it trails what homes are listed for today. Broward's median gross rent in the 2020 to 2024 survey was $1,907, and that figure blends in leases signed as far back as the start of the survey window.
Fair Market Rent is set at the 40th percentile for standard-quality homes, so by design about 60% of similar homes rent for more. Both government figures count utilities, and a listing's rent usually doesn't. HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code for metro areas, and our rent pages show them ZIP by ZIP.
How to use each one
Use the area figures to size up a neighborhood before you search, or to check what a voucher covers. When you're choosing a home, go by its listing price and the move-in total.
A quick example from Broward: if the county's median gross rent is $1,907 and the two-bedrooms you're touring list at $2,400 to $2,600, the gap is expected. The median is a five-year blend that includes long-time renters, and listings are what a landlord wants today. Where a listing sits well above similar homes nearby, that's the number to question, and the MLS map puts those neighbors side by side.
Gross rent, defined
The Census Bureau counts gross rent as the rent plus the average monthly cost of utilities and fuels, when the renter pays them. HUD counts shelter plus utilities, whoever pays them.
Questions people ask
What is the average rent in Broward County?
The Census Bureau's median gross rent for Broward was $1,907 in the 2020 to 2024 survey, including utilities the renter pays. Homes listed today usually ask more.
Why is Fair Market Rent lower than listings?
It's set at the 40th percentile of standard-quality homes, so most homes rent for more, and it's based on survey data that lags today's market.
Does the all-in price include utilities?
It includes rent and every required monthly fee. Utilities you pay to FPL or the water company are separate unless the listing says they are included.
Free help from Rentvana
Tell us your area and budget, and we'll show you what the numbers mean on real homes.
Renters never pay Rentvana. A licensed agent replies within 1 hour, 8am to 9pm.
Questions first? Call 888-601-8344 or email hello@rentvana.com.
Words in this guide
Sources
- HUD User: Fair Market Rentshuduser.gov
- HUD User: Fair Market Rents overview, FY2026huduser.gov
- HUD User: Small Area Fair Market Rentshuduser.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau: Gross Rents Continue to Risecensus.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Broward County, Floridacensus.gov
Checked against these sources on by Rentvana Editorial. If something has changed, email hello@rentvana.com and we'll fix it.
Questions?
Call 888-601-8344 to talk to a licensed agent, or email hello@rentvana.com and one gets back to you within 1 hour, 8am to 9pm. Renters never pay Rentvana.