Rents are 4% below what Davis'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 $2,394 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 Davis usually run 3% below trend in January and 2.2% above it in July, about $124 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Davis is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2015.
Rent in Davis changed +4.3% 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 Davis rose 25.7% while median household income rose 29.8% ($69,379 to $90,045). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Davis is 30.8% 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 ($90,045) is $2,251 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,975); a 2-bedroom is $2,590.
Sacramento, 16 miles away, rents for 15% less ($2,045/mo), about $4,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Davis. 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
Davis, CA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 76.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Davis, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Davis, CA has shifted from $1,848 to $2,394, up 29.5% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $81,231 to $90,045 across the same window, up 10.9% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Davis, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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At $2,394/mo, how Davis rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Davis rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Davis. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Davis
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Davis is $2,394/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,960/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,590/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,975/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,605/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($90,045/yr), Davis ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,394/mo, rent takes ~32% of Davis's median household income ($90,045/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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