Rents are right about where Cathedral City'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 $2,343 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
June. Asking rents in Cathedral City usually run 1.1% below trend in June and 0.9% above it in October, about $47 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Cathedral City is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in September 2021.
Rent in Cathedral City changed +7.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($73,572) is $1,839 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,740); a 2-bedroom is $2,160.
Palm Springs, 4 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,067/mo), about $3,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cathedral City. 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
Cathedral City, CA is majority owner-occupied, 24.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Cathedral City, CA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Cathedral City, CA stood at $2,050 in 2022 and currently runs about $2,343, reflecting a 14.3% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $56,671 to $73,572 between 2021 and 2024, a 29.8% shift. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. Renters now make up 33.5% of households, compared with 37.5% five years ago. Taken together, the five-year picture in Cathedral City, CA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Cathedral City on your salary?
At $2,343/mo, how Cathedral City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Cathedral City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Cathedral City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Cathedral City
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Cathedral City is $2,343/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,660/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,160/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,740/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,880/mo.
At 38% of local median household income ($73,572/yr), Cathedral City ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 7.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Cathedral City rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Cathedral City?
At $2,343/mo, rent takes ~38% of Cathedral City's median household income ($73,572/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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