Austin retail space averaged roughly $27 to $31 per square foot per year in asking rent in mid 2026: Partners reported $26.87 for Q3 2026, and Matthews (using CoStar data) reported $31.39 for Q2 2026. Most Austin retail is quoted NNN, so taxes, insurance, and common area costs are added on top, and rents run higher in prime corridors and lower in older strip centers and outlying counties.
What is the average retail rent in Austin in 2026?
Two recent reports cover the Austin metro retail market. Their numbers differ because each firm tracks its own set of properties and calculates averages its own way.
| Source | Avg. asking rent | Vacancy | Under construction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partners, Austin Retail, Q3 2026 | $26.87/SF | 3.7% | 3.1 million SF |
| Matthews (CoStar data), Austin Retail, Q2 2026 | $31.39/SF | 3.4% | 3.5 million SF |
Both are annual asking rents per square foot. Neither report states whether its average is a net or gross figure, so use them as a benchmark rather than a quote. The direction is consistent: rents are still rising slowly (Partners reported 2.9% year over year, Matthews 1.3%) and vacancy is low, which means good space is competitive.
The low vacancy may sound at odds with the empty storefronts many people notice. Both are true. Well-located space leases quickly, while some older or harder-to-build-out spaces sit for a long time, a gap we covered in Austin’s retail vacancy problem.
Retail rent by area in Austin
Location drives retail rent more than anything else. Matthews broke out average asking rent and vacancy for several Austin submarkets in Q2 2026:
| Submarket | Avg. asking rent | Vacancy |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest | $38.12/SF | 2.4% |
| East | $32.14/SF | 3.9% |
| Round Rock | $31.94/SF | 3.0% |
| Cedar Park | $31.91/SF | 4.5% |
| Hays County | $31.49/SF | 2.7% |
| Far Northeast | $30.20/SF | 3.1% |
| Northeast | $28.99/SF | 11.3% |
| Georgetown | $28.03/SF | 4.1% |
| Bastrop County | $25.56/SF | 0.7% |
| Caldwell County | $18.62/SF | 3.8% |
Source: Matthews, Austin Retail Market Report, Q2 2026 (CoStar data). The report lists selected submarkets only, not every part of the metro.
Partners’ Q3 2026 report agrees on the general pattern: East had the highest average asking rent at $33.92 per square foot and Northeast the lowest at $21.59.
What this means in practice:
- Central and East Austin corridors command the highest rents for small storefronts with walk-up traffic. See our East Austin and South Austin pages.
- Suburban centers in Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Hays County (Kyle and Buda) sit close to the metro average, with rents supported by new rooftops. Our Round Rock retail space page covers one of these markets in detail.
- Outlying counties such as Bastrop and Caldwell are cheaper, though Bastrop’s very low vacancy means few spaces are actually available.
Averages also move with the mix of space on the market. A submarket with several new centers delivering will show a higher average than its older inventory actually asks.
How property type changes the rent
The type of center matters almost as much as the area. Matthews’ Q2 2026 report showed:
| Center type | Avg. asking rent | Vacancy |
|---|---|---|
| Malls | $38.32/SF | 3.7% |
| Power centers | $33.18/SF | 2.6% |
| Neighborhood centers | $31.38/SF | 4.9% |
| Strip centers | $30.20/SF | 7.4% |
| General retail (freestanding and storefront) | $30.11/SF | 2.8% |
Within any center, some spaces carry a premium:
- Endcaps get extra visibility, a second wall for signage, and often a patio or drive-thru lane, so they usually ask more than inline space in the same center.
- Drive-thru space and pad sites are scarce and in high demand from coffee, food, and service users, which pushes their rents up.
- Inline space in the middle of a strip is typically the least expensive option in a given center.
- Second-generation space with a hood, grease trap, or plumbing already in place can save a tenant a large share of the buildout, which is often worth more than a lower rent on a shell space. See our restaurant space page.
Strip centers had the highest vacancy of any type in Q2 2026, which is where tenants tend to find the most room to negotiate.
Base rent plus NNN: what you actually pay
Most Austin retail is leased on a triple net (NNN) basis. The quoted rate is base rent only. On top of it, you pay your share of the center’s property taxes, insurance, and common area maintenance (CAM), billed monthly as an estimate and reconciled each year.
NNN charges vary widely by center, so always ask the landlord for the current year’s estimate and the prior year’s actual. To get a monthly number, add base rent and NNN, multiply by the square footage, and divide by 12. For a hypothetical 1,500 square foot space:
| Scenario (hypothetical) | Annual cost | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| $27/SF base + $10/SF NNN | $55,500 | $4,625 |
| $31/SF base + $10/SF NNN | $61,500 | $5,125 |
| $38/SF base + $12/SF NNN | $75,000 | $6,250 |
These NNN figures are illustrative only. Utilities, your own insurance, and any percentage rent are usually extra. Our guides on NNN and CAM charges, how commercial rent works, and types of commercial leases go deeper, and the lease cost calculator runs the math with annual escalations over a full term.
What concessions look like in Austin retail
Asking rent is where negotiation starts. Common concessions in Austin retail leases include:
- Tenant improvement allowance: money the landlord puts toward your buildout, usually tied to term length and your financial strength.
- Free rent or a delayed rent commencement date so you are not paying while you build out and permit.
- Landlord work, such as delivering new HVAC, a storefront, restrooms, or utility upgrades before you take the space.
- Caps on controllable CAM so pass-through charges cannot climb without limit.
How much a landlord will give depends on the space and the market around it. A hard-to-lease shell space in a center with vacancy will support far more than a second-generation endcap with three other tenants competing for it. Comparing offers on net effective rent shows which deal actually costs less. Lease clauses such as co-tenancy and exclusive use also matter in retail; see commercial lease terms that matter.
Get current numbers for your retail search
Market averages are a starting point. We pull asking rents, NNN estimates, and concession history for the specific Austin centers that fit your concept, compare them on one monthly number, and negotiate for you. The landlord typically pays our fee. Start with our retail page, read the tenant’s roadmap to leasing retail space, or contact us to begin a search.
Sources
- Partners, “Austin Retail Q3 2026 Quarterly Market Report” (October 19, 2026)
- Matthews, “Austin, TX Retail Market Report, Q2 2026” (August 2026; data from CoStar Group)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the average retail rent in Austin per square foot?
Two 2026 reports put the Austin metro average retail asking rent at $26.87 per square foot (Partners, Q3 2026) and $31.39 per square foot (Matthews, using CoStar data, Q2 2026). The firms track different sets of properties, so treat the metro average as roughly the high $20s to low $30s per square foot per year, before NNN charges.
Which part of Austin has the highest retail rent?
In Q3 2026, Partners reported the East submarket had the highest average asking rent at $33.92 per square foot, and Northeast the lowest at $21.59. Matthews' Q2 2026 report showed Southwest at $38.12, the highest of the submarkets it listed.
How much does a 1,500 square foot retail space cost per month in Austin?
At a hypothetical $30 per square foot base rent plus a hypothetical $10 in NNN charges, 1,500 square feet costs $60,000 a year, or $5,000 a month. Real NNN charges vary by center, so get the landlord's current estimate for each space you consider.
Is retail space hard to find in Austin?
Overall, yes. Partners reported 3.7% metro retail vacancy in Q3 2026 and Matthews reported 3.4% in Q2 2026, both low by historical standards. Vacancy is higher in some segments, such as strip centers, so options vary by area and property type.
Does it cost anything to use a tenant rep agent for retail space in Austin?
Usually not. In most Austin retail leases the landlord pays the tenant rep fee, and we put who pays in a short written representation agreement before we start.
About the author
Tristen Palori is a licensed commercial real estate agent with Foresite Commercial Real Estate and leads Austin Commercial Sites, the firm's Austin team. He has worked Austin office, retail, medical, and industrial deals since 2019. More about Tristen.
