Rents are 4% below what Cerritos's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $3,385 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
March. Asking rents in Cerritos usually run 0.4% below trend in March and 0.5% above it in December, about $30 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Cerritos is 0.5% below its high of $3,403 in August 2026, at $3,385 as of September 2026.
Rent in Cerritos changed +1.7% 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 Cerritos rose 34.2% while median household income rose 27.5% ($106,190 to $135,439). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Cerritos is 40.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($135,439) is $3,386 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($3,120); a 2-bedroom is $3,940.
Norwalk, 3 miles away, rents for 21% less ($2,662/mo), about $8,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cerritos. 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
Cerritos, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 58% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Cerritos, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Cerritos, CA has shifted from $2,517 to $3,385, up 34.5% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $115,600 in 2021 to $135,439 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Cerritos, CA losing about 1,763 residents over the five-year window, down 3.6% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 54% to 58% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Cerritos, CA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Cerritos on your salary?
At $3,385/mo, how Cerritos rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Cerritos rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Cerritos. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Cerritos
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Cerritos is $3,385/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,790/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,940/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $3,120/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $5,010/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($135,439/yr), Cerritos ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Cerritos?
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How does Cerritos rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Cerritos?
At $3,385/mo, rent takes ~30% of Cerritos's median household income ($135,439/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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