Rents are 4% below what Dana Point'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 $4,323 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
January. Asking rents in Dana Point usually run 1% below trend in January and 1.2% above it in July, about $95 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Dana Point is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Dana Point changed +6.3% 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 Dana Point rose 47.7% while median household income rose 42.4% ($99,409 to $141,520). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Dana Point is 60.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($141,520) is $3,538 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,275); a 3-bedroom is $4,435.
San Clemente, 4 miles away, rents for 21% less ($3,411/mo), about $10,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Dana Point. 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
Dana Point, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 56.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Dana Point, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Dana Point, CA has increased from $3,006 to $4,323, a 43.8% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $111,132 in 2021 to $141,520 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.6% since 2021, moving from about 33,327 residents to roughly 32,790. College-educated residents now make up 56.6% of adults here, versus 53.2% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Dana Point, CA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Dana Point on your salary?
At $4,323/mo, how Dana Point rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Dana Point rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Dana Point. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Dana Point
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Dana Point is $4,323/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,655/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,275/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,770/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,435/mo.
At 37% of local median household income ($141,520/yr), Dana Point ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Dana Point?
At $4,323/mo, rent takes ~37% of Dana Point's median household income ($141,520/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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