For the first time in years, Oregon landlords governed by the state’s rent stabilization law can’t hand out double-digit rent increases. 

The Oregon Department of Administrative Services announced Tuesday that the maximum allowed rent increase in 2026 will be 9.5%. A separate 6% cap applies to mobile home facilities with more than 30 spaces because of a new state law. 

Since 2019, Oregon has capped rent increases for buildings older than 15 years at 7% plus inflation. In 2023, after high inflation sent allowable increases soaring to nearly 15%, lawmakers added a hard cap of 10%.  

The 9.5% allowed increase is the second-lowest since Oregon began stabilizing rent, higher only than the low of 9.2% in 2021. Landlords are only allowed to raise rent once in a 12-month period. 

The current average rent in Oregon is $1,895, according to the real estate website Zillow. A 9.5% increase to that rent would cost tenants an extra $180 monthly. 

Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Editor-in-chief Julia Shumway has worked for the Capital Chronicle since its founding in 2021. She previously worked as a legislative reporter for the Arizona Capitol Times in Phoenix and reported on local and state government and politics in Iowa, Nebraska and Bend. An award-winning journalist, Julia also serves as president of the Oregon Legislative Correspondents Association, or Capitol press corps and treasurer of the Oregon chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She lives in Salem with an orange cat, the Capital Chronicle's Fred-itor-in-chief.