Rents are right about where Alameda's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,876 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Alameda usually run 0.6% below trend in December and 0.4% above it in July, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Alameda is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2016.
Rent in Alameda changed +6.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Alameda rose 9.8% while median household income rose 31.4% ($104,756 to $137,697). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Alameda is 16.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 17 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($137,697) is $3,442 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,720); a 3-bedroom is $3,480.
San Leandro, 8 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,517/mo), about $4,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Alameda. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Alameda, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 61.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Alameda, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Alameda, CA has climbed 17.1% since 2021, going from about $2,455 per month to roughly $2,876 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Alameda, CA now reports about $137,697, up from $113,339 in 2021. Income growth outran rent by about 4.4 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 78,320 to 77,238 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.4% change. About 49.3% of households rent today, against 52.5% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 59.4% to 61.5%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Alameda, CA reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $2,876/mo, how Alameda rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Alameda rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Alameda. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Alameda
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Alameda is $2,876/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,960/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,720/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,230/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,480/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($137,697/yr), Alameda ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Alameda rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,876/mo, rent takes ~25% of Alameda's median household income ($137,697/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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