Highest Rent in California

Top 100 cities ranked by highest rent

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All Countries · United States · California

Highest Rent — California

1 Hillsborough $3,501

2 Danville $3,501

3 Malibu $3,501

4 Marina del Rey $3,501

5 Blackhawk $3,501

6 Clayton $3,501

7 Montecito $3,501

8 Woodside $3,501

9 Kensington $3,501

10 Los Altos Hills $3,501

11 Jamul $3,501

12 Rossmoor $3,501

13 Coto de Caza $3,501

14 Camp Pendleton Mainside $3,501

15 Saratoga $3,501

16 Lucas Valley-Marinwood $3,501

17 Tiburon $3,501

18 Alamo $3,501

19 Cupertino $3,501

20 Rancho Palos Verdes $3,501

21 Foster City $3,501

22 Rolling Hills Estates $3,501

23 San Marino $3,501

24 Los Altos $3,501

25 Piedmont $3,501

26 Topanga $3,501

27 Atherton $3,501

28 Westlake Village $3,501

29 Manhattan Beach $3,492

30 Corte Madera $3,468

31 Sausalito $3,408

32 Millbrae $3,401

33 Rancho Mission Viejo $3,342

34 Rancho Murieta $3,333

35 Palos Verdes Estates $3,331

36 Ladera Ranch $3,331

37 Palo Alto $3,328

38 Mill Valley $3,313

39 Coronado $3,250

40 East Foothills $3,247

41 Mountain House $3,232

42 Dublin $3,174

43 Rio del Mar $3,172

44 Menlo Park $3,156

45 Oak Park $3,150

46 Newport Beach $3,146

47 Walnut $3,120

48 Moraga $3,119

49 Milpitas $3,112

50 Agoura Hills $3,094

51 Ladera Heights $3,089

52 Pacifica $3,080

53 San Mateo $3,079

54 Calabasas $3,070

55 Sunnyvale $3,065

56 Eastvale $3,065

57 Solana Beach $3,022

58 Pleasanton $3,017

59 French Valley $3,016

60 Hercules $3,003

61 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley $2,990

62 Santa Clara $2,985

63 Mountain View $2,975

64 Los Gatos $2,969

65 Redwood City $2,959

66 El Sobrante CDP (Riverside County) $2,954

67 Camp Pendleton South $2,947

68 Del Aire $2,938

69 Eastern Goleta Valley $2,924

70 San Ramon $2,916

71 Cerritos $2,909

72 Fremont $2,905

73 Discovery Bay $2,897

74 Belmont $2,894

75 Irvine $2,893

76 Dana Point $2,883

77 Strawberry CDP (Marin County) $2,876

78 Woodcrest $2,875

79 Larkspur $2,867

80 Lafayette $2,855

81 Las Flores CDP (Orange County) $2,845

82 La Cañada Flintridge $2,842

83 Rancho Calaveras $2,840

84 Emeryville $2,833

85 South San Francisco $2,833

86 Laguna Niguel $2,819

87 Hermosa Beach $2,812

88 Beverly Hills $2,805

89 San Carlos $2,802

90 Laguna Beach $2,802

91 Temescal Valley $2,794

92 Yorba Linda $2,779

93 Stevenson Ranch $2,777

94 Aliso Viejo $2,774

95 Campbell $2,751

96 San Anselmo $2,750

97 Chino Hills $2,750

98 Lake of the Pines $2,741

99 Pinole $2,738

100 Encinitas $2,730

Cities with the highest rents in California reflect tight housing markets where demand significantly exceeds supply. Hillsborough leads with a median rent of $3,501 per month.

High rents are typically found in cities with strong economies, large populations of young professionals, and limited housing supply. These markets often have low vacancy rates and competitive rental processes.

The rent burden in these cities can be significant, with many residents spending more than 30% of their income on housing. This has fueled discussions about rent control, affordable housing development, and tenant protections in many of these communities.

Did You Know?

1. Renters in Hillsborough pay $3,501/month — that's $42,012 per year on housing alone.
2. The general rule of thumb is that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income — in many of these cities, average earners exceed that threshold.
3. High-rent cities often have rental vacancy rates below 5%, creating intense competition for available units.

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