5 Best Apartments for Rent in Houston (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

Finding apartments for rent in Houston usually means choosing between a locator service that does the legwork for you or going straight to a building's leasing office. The names on this page have racked up 1,968 reviews between them, and every one of them is rated 4.5 or higher.

Short answer: APT Locator - Central leads with a perfect 5.0 rating across 625 reviews, the most of any name on this page, thanks to a free apartment-finding service that matches renters to buildings across Houston. Among the buildings themselves, The Rice downtown holds 4.5 from 431 reviews in a converted historic hotel, while State Street Apartments, Aris Market Square, and Camden Downtown all sit at 4.6. Rent varies widely by neighborhood and unit size, so get a current quote directly.

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1. APT Locator
2. The Rice
3. State Street Apartment…
4. Aris Market Square
5. Camden Downtown Apartm…
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Houston's top-rated apartments and locators, compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	APT Locator - Central	5.0 ★	625	Free apartment locating service	View ›
2	The Rice	4.5 ★	431	Historic downtown high-rise	View ›
3	State Street Apartments	4.6 ★	334	Memorial Heights, pet-friendly	View ›
4	Aris Market Square	4.6 ★	325	Luxury high-rise, downtown	View ›
5	Camden Downtown Apartments	4.6 ★	253	Camden brand, downtown	View ›

5 Best Apartments for Rent in Houston (2026)

Our picks, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

APT Locator - Central

5.0625 Google reviews

APT Locator is a free apartment-finding service covering Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, connecting renters with agents who match budget and preferences against thousands of listed properties. Rather than renting a specific building, this service walks you through the search across multiple Houston complexes at no cost to the renter.

What people praise

Named agents like Zia and Desiree repeatedly praised by name across reviews
Renters report finding an apartment within 24 hours in some cases
Works with people relocating from out of state or overseas
No cost to use, since the service is paid by the properties

Reputation scorecardrank in Houston

Rating5 / 5

Review volume625 · 98th

Confidencevery high

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown99% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: With 625 reviews and a perfect average, this is the most reviewed name on the page by a wide margin. If you don't know where to start, this is the logical first call.

Website +1713-992-0127 Directions

1001 Texas Ave Ste 1400, Houston, TX 77002

#2🕑 Open 6 days/wk

The Rice

4.5431 Google reviews

The Rice is a converted historic hotel turned upscale apartment building in downtown Houston, on Texas Street. Once a grand hotel that hosted U.S. presidents, it now offers loft-style units, some with exposed brick, alongside modern amenities in a building with real architectural character.

What people praise

Reviewers highlight the building's unique history and design
Staff repeatedly named and praised during tours and leasing
Central downtown location within walking distance of bars, shops and rental car services
Described as clean and well maintained despite the building's age

Worth knowing

Rating of 4.5 is solid but trails the newer buildings on this page slightly

Reputation scorecardrank in Houston

Rating4.5 / 5

Review volume431 · 93th

Confidencehigh

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown81% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The history here is real, not marketing. If character matters as much as amenities, The Rice is worth touring before you decide.

Website +1832-789-6309 Directions

909 Texas St, Houston, TX 77002

#3🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

State Street Apartments

4.6334 Google reviews

State Street Apartments sits in Memorial Heights, close to the Buffalo Bayou trails and the Sawyer Yards arts district. It offers studio, one- and two-bedroom homes with in-unit washers and dryers and granite countertops, plus pet-friendly features including a dog park.

What people praise

Same leasing staff members named repeatedly across multiple reviews
Maintenance requests described as fast and reliable
Rooftop lounge and fitness center called out as well kept
Easy access to I-10 and downtown commutes

Reputation scorecardrank in Houston

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume334 · 88th

Confidencehigh

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown85% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: At 4.6 from 334 reviews, this is one of the more consistently reviewed buildings here, and the same staff names come up again and again, a good sign for how the property is actually run day to day.

Website +1713-258-9815 Directions

1520 N Memorial Way, Houston, TX 77007

#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Aris Market Square

4.6325 Google reviews

Aris Market Square is a luxury high-rise in downtown Houston, offering studio to three-bedroom residences with skyline views and 24/7 concierge service. It sits in what the building's own marketing calls the city's most walkable neighborhood, near Market Square Park and the Theater District.

What people praise

Concierge and leasing staff named individually and praised for professionalism
Building described as consistently clean and secure
Central location near dining, entertainment and the Theater District
Renters relocating from other cities describe a smooth transition

Worth knowing

A couple of reviewers note the gym and valet hours could use updating

Reputation scorecardrank in Houston

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume325 · 83th

Confidencehigh

Recency3 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown88% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: At 4.6 from 325 reviews, Aris earns its rating on service more than any single amenity. If concierge-level building staff matters to you, this is a strong pick.

Website +1346-512-2257 Directions

409 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002

#5🕑 Open 6 days/wk

Camden Downtown Apartments

4.6253 Google reviews

Camden Downtown Apartments offers luxury studio, one- and two-bedroom homes off Austin Street, within walking distance of the Toyota Center. It's part of the larger Camden Living portfolio, with chef-inspired kitchens and spa-style bathrooms in its higher-end units.

What people praise

Multiple leasing agents named and praised across different reviews
Long-term residents describe feeling safe with few complaints
Move-in and move-out process repeatedly called stress-free
Quick, efficient maintenance response mentioned often

Worth knowing

Fewest reviews of the buildings on this page, at 253, though the rating itself is strong

Reputation scorecardrank in Houston

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume253 · 63th

Confidencehigh

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown87% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Camden rounds out the list at 4.6 from 253 reviews. The smaller review count reflects a newer or smaller-footprint listing rather than any quality gap; the actual feedback reads as consistently positive.

Website +1281-500-8711 Directions

1515 Austin St, Houston, TX 77002

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How we score these apartments

Rating is the live Google average pulled directly from each listing. Review volume measures how many renters have actually left feedback, ranked against the others on this page. Confidence blends both, so a high rating on a thin review count scores lower than one backed by hundreds of reviews. Recency checks whether people are still reviewing in the last few months, not just years back. No business here can pay to change these numbers.

How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Houston? (2026)

Rent in Houston varies heavily by neighborhood, building age, and unit size, with downtown high-rises typically commanding a premium over apartments further from the urban core. Studio and one-bedroom units in newer downtown buildings often start in the high teens to low twenties per month, but always confirm current pricing directly with the leasing office, since rates shift with availability.

Serving all of Houston

These options cover downtown Houston, Memorial Heights, and the areas around the Toyota Center and Market Square Park, so if you’re searching apartments for rent near me in Houston, downtown and the immediately surrounding neighborhoods are well represented here. A locator service can also widen the search into suburbs and other parts of the metro if downtown isn’t the right fit.

What to ask before you sign a lease

What is the total move-in cost, including deposit, application and admin fees?
Is parking included, and what does covered or garage parking cost extra?
What’s the pet policy, including breed and weight restrictions and monthly pet rent?
Is the quoted rent a promotional rate, and what happens to it at renewal?
How quickly does maintenance typically respond to requests?
Is the lease month-to-month after the initial term, or does it require a new fixed term?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these apartments and locators?

We looked at apartment buildings and rental locator services across Houston with a real, ongoing Google review history, then ranked them on rating, review volume, and how recently people are still reviewing them.

How often is this updated?

We refresh this data periodically. This page was last verified July 2026.

Is it free to use an apartment locator service?

Yes, typically. Locator services like APT Locator are usually paid a commission by the apartment community once you sign a lease, not by the renter.

Should I go directly to a building or use a locator?

Both work. A locator can save time if you’re unsure which neighborhood fits, while going directly to a building works well if you already know where you want to live.

The bottom line

If you’re not sure where to start, APT Locator’s free service and perfect review record make it the easiest first call. If you already know you want downtown, State Street, Aris Market Square, and Camden Downtown are all within a few tenths of a star of each other, so pick based on neighborhood and unit layout rather than rating alone.

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