How did rent in Denver reach its highest point ever in 2018? An analysis of historical data shows that rent costs in the early 2010s, which qualified as modest by the standards of the day, skyrocketed mid-decade and remain at eye-popping levels.
An example: Median rent for a one-bedroom apartment eight years ago barely topped $800. Today, the most recent estimate from the Rent Jungle website is $1,432 — an increase of nearly 79 percent. And the latest price is actually lower than in June, when it peaked at $1,457.
The site's report about average rent trends in Denver includes median one-bedroom, two-bedroom and overall totals for every month beginning in January 2011. And following the numbers from then to November 2018 reveals how the screws have been tightened on Mile High City renters over this period.
That first month, a typical one-bedroom went for just $801, and a two-bedroom could be had for $1,110, resulting in an overall median of $1,019. And rent prices actually slid shortly thereafter thanks to the Great Recession, which was still very much in effect, with one-bedroom rent in Denver bottoming out at $722 in June.
The price hasn't been that low since. One-bedroom rent took a big leap up in August 2011, when the median costs increased to $880 — and the next month was marked by another huge bump, to $994. At that point, the race was on, topping $1,000 in May 2012, $1,100 in May 2013, $1,200 in October 2014, $1,300 in April 2015 and $1,400 in June 2016.
From there, one-bedroom prices actually slipped a bit, remaining under $1,400 for much of the next two years. But the barrier was broken again in April, and the median price remained above that threshold throughout the remainder of 2018.
In comparison, two-bedroom rents haven't risen quite as quickly over the same period, but close: just over 60 percent. As for the overall median rent, it's increased by 53 percent — a number worse than that found in an April study from RealPage.com, which showed a 48 percent bump since 2010. Yet the latter figure was still the fourth-largest boost in the country during that span. Only three cities in the California Bay Area were worse.
In recent months, Denver-area rent has moderated a bit, giving renters hope of some relief in the new year. But a return to early decade totals is the stuff of impossible dreams.
Continue to see our photo-illustrated list of Denver median one-bedroom, two-bedroom and overall rents for every month from January 11 to November 2018.
January 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $801
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,110
Median overall rent: $1,019
February 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $798
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,133
Median overall rent: $1,030
March 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $764
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,163
Median overall rent: $1,024
April 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $752
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,133
Median overall rent: $1,012
May 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $723
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,062
Median overall rent: $992
June 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $722
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,059
Median overall rent: $1,006
July 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $725
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,066
Median overall rent: $1,032
August 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $880
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,281
Median overall rent: $1,096
September 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $994
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,336
Median overall rent: $1,169
October 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $984
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,289
Median overall rent: $1,147
November 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $942
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,225
Median overall rent: $1,103
December 2011
Median one-bedroom rent: $929
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,199
Median overall rent: $1,083
January 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $923
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,204
Median overall rent: $1,085
February 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $936
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,193
Median overall rent: $1,090
March 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $899
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,143
Median overall rent: $1,045
April 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $971
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,206
Median overall rent: $1,109
May 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,016
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,280
Median overall rent: $1,160
June 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,013
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,278
Median overall rent: $1,160
July 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $996
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,239
Median overall rent: $1,135
August 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,036
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,303
Median overall rent: $1,191
September 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,035
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,309
Median overall rent: $1,193
October 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,075
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,358
Median overall rent: $1,232
November 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1.065
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,354
Median overall rent: $1,232
December 2012
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,082
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,387
Median overall rent: $1,254
January 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,050
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,393
Median overall rent: $1,245
February 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,042
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,351
Median overall rent: $1,216
March 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,076
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,399
Median overall rent: $1,248
April 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,085
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,395
Median overall rent: $1,248
May 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,122
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,416
Median overall rent: $1,281
June 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,126
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,436
Median overall rent: $1,294
July 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,142
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,478
Median overall rent: $1,323
August 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,114
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,458
Median overall rent: $1,306
September 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,104
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,413
Median overall rent: $1,285
October 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,140
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,462
Median overall rent: $1,321
November 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,112
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,456
Median overall rent: $1,307
December 2013
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,077
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,409
Median overall rent: $1,277
January 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,087
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,380
Median overall rent: $1,257
February 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,078
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,368
Median overall rent: $1,231
March 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,114
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,444
Median overall rent: $1,300
April 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,117
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,458
Median overall rent: $1,305
May 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,136
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,491
Median overall rent: $1,335
June 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,155
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,531
Median overall rent: $1,369
July 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,170
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,534
Median overall rent: $1,383
August 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,189
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,534
Median overall rent: $1,401
September 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,196
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,533
Median overall rent: $1,404
October 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,210
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,545
Median overall rent: $1,410
November 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,217
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,545
Median overall rent: $1,412
December 2014
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,224
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,555
Median overall rent: $1,418
January 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,252
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,580
Median overall rent: $1,437
February 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,262
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,644
Median overall rent: $1,460
March 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,296
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,678
Median overall rent: $1,502
April 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,326
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,697
Median overall rent: $1,528
May 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,333
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,711
Median overall rent: $1,546
June 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,345
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,753
Median overall rent: $1,586
July 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,348
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,761
Median overall rent: $1,587
August 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,373
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,776
Median overall rent: $1,602
September 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,376
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,759
Median overall rent: $1,593
October 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,380
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,755
Median overall rent: $1,586
November 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,363
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,733
Median overall rent: $1,563
December 2015
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,325
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,692
Median overall rent: $1,523
January 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,332
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,710
Median overall rent: $1,534
February 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,345
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,740
Median overall rent: $1,558
March 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,366
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,760
Median overall rent: $1,574
April 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,383
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,785
Median overall rent: $1,584
May 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,393
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,771
Median overall rent: $1,580
June 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,406
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,814
Median overall rent: $1,600
July 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,387
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,804
Median overall rent: $1,588
August 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,394
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,794
Median overall rent: $1,588
September 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,383
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,768
Median overall rent: $1,573
October 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,372
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,778
Median overall rent: $1,577
November 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,365
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,765
Median overall rent: $1,564
December 2016
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,360
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,757
Median overall rent: $1,557
January 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,360
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,751
Median overall rent: $1,549
February 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,367
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,748
Median overall rent: $1,550
March 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,381
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,765
Median overall rent: $1,567
April 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,380
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,765
Median overall rent: $1,564
May 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,397
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,781
Median overall rent: $1,575
June 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,413
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,801
Median overall rent: $1,593
July 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,414
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,800
Median overall rent: $1,591
August 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,391
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,789
Median overall rent: $1,578
September 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,391
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,798
Median overall rent: $1,589
October 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,390
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,782
Median overall rent: $1,580
November 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,385
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,755
Median overall rent: $1,566
December 2017
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,377
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,769
Median overall rent: $1,567
January 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,394
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,777
Median overall rent: $1,580
February 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,390
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,768
Median overall rent: $1,575
March 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,399
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,775
Median overall rent: $1,575
April 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,419
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,808
Median overall rent: $1,607
May 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,439
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,839
Median overall rent: $1,631
June 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,457
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,870
Median overall rent: $1,653
July 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,449
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,835
Median overall rent: $1,634
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August 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,446
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,838
Median overall rent: $1,632
September 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,452
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,854
Median overall rent: $1,644
October 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,434
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,791
Median overall rent: $1,610
November 2018
Median one-bedroom rent: $1,432
Median two-bedroom rent: $1,781
Median overall rent: $1,605
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