Rents are 14% above what Burlingame's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
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 $4,119 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
February. Asking rents in Burlingame usually run 1.1% below trend in February and 1.2% above it in August, about $95 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Burlingame is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2017.
Rent in Burlingame changed +13.6% 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 Burlingame rose 8.1% while median household income rose 35.5% ($128,447 to $174,000). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Burlingame is 26.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 14 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($174,000) is $4,350 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,501).
San Bruno, 6 miles away, rents for 19% less ($3,346/mo), about $9,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Burlingame. 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
Burlingame, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 64.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Burlingame, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Burlingame, CA paid around $2,994 a month. That figure now sits near $4,119, up 37.6% from the 2021 baseline. Household income in the area moved from $150,182 to $174,000 across the same window, up 15.9% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Burlingame, CA losing about 617 residents over the five-year window, down 2.0% on net. The renter share has risen from 46.9% to 51.8%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Burlingame, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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At $4,119/mo, how Burlingame rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Burlingame rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Burlingame. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Burlingame
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Burlingame is $4,119/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,409/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,342/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,445/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,501/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($174,000/yr), Burlingame ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 13.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Burlingame rent compare to other cities in California?
At $4,119/mo, rent takes ~28% of Burlingame's median household income ($174,000/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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