Rents are 5% 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 $2,765 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: August 17, 2026
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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 22.3% since 2021, going from about $2,261 per month to roughly $2,765 today. Census figures show median household income at $123,547 today, compared with $105,374 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 5.1 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.
Discussions about Daly City
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Can you afford rent in Daly City on your salary?
At $2,765/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: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Daly City is $2,765/mo as of August 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 27% of local median household income ($123,547/yr), Daly City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 7.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Daly City an affordable city for renters?
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How does Daly City rent compare to other cities in California?
What percentage of Daly City residents rent vs. own?
How does Daly City rent compare to the national average?
At $2,765/mo, rent takes ~27% of Daly City's median household income ($123,547/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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