Rents are 10% above what Daly City'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 $3,046 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 Daly City usually run 1.2% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in June, about $58 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Daly City is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in November 2017.
Rent in Daly City changed +11.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent in Daly City is 21.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 13 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($123,547) is $3,089 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,670); a 2-bedroom is $3,185.
Albany, 17 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,694/mo), about $4,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Daly 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
Daly City, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 38.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Daly City, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Daly City, CA has increased 30.6% since 2021, going from about $2,332 per month to roughly $3,046 today. Census figures show median household income at $123,547 today, compared with $105,374 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 13.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 104,914 to 101,964 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.8% change. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $3,046/mo, how Daly City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Daly City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Daly City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Daly City
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Daly City is $3,046/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,180/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,185/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,670/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,940/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($123,547/yr), Daly City ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 11.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Daly City rent compare to other cities in California?
At $3,046/mo, rent takes ~30% of Daly City's median household income ($123,547/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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