Rents are 7% below what Downey'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 $2,257 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
May. Asking rents in Downey usually run 0.7% below trend in May and 0.6% above it in August, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Downey is 0% below its high of $2,258 in August 2026, at $2,257 as of September 2026.
Rent in Downey changed +2.7% 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 Downey rose 33.7% while median household income rose 19.5% ($75,878 to $90,699). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Downey is 35.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($90,699) is $2,267 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,040); a 2-bedroom is $2,573.
Maywood, 5 miles away, rents for 28% less ($1,635/mo), about $7,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Downey. 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
Downey, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 26.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Downey, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Downey, CA has climbed from $1,684 to $2,257, a 34.0% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $90,699 today, compared with $77,972 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 2.9% since 2021, moving from about 114,293 residents to roughly 110,939. Renters now make up 48.9% of households, compared with 51% five years ago. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $2,257/mo, how Downey rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Downey rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Downey. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Downey
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Downey is $2,257/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,817/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,573/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,040/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,267/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($90,699/yr), Downey ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,257/mo, rent takes ~30% of Downey's median household income ($90,699/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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