Rents are 3% above what Dublin'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 $3,325 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 Dublin usually run 1.3% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in August, about $86 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Dublin is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2016.
Rent in Dublin 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 Dublin rose 10.5% while median household income rose 42.6% ($150,299 to $214,385). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Dublin is 19.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 11 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($214,385) is $5,360 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($4,590); a 4-bedroom is $5,460.
Union City, 10 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,913/mo), about $4,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Dublin. 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
Dublin, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 69.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Dublin, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Dublin, CA has increased from $2,831 to $3,325, a 17.4% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $214,385 today, compared with $171,168 five years earlier. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. The population has grown by 1.4% since 2021, moving from about 69,818 residents to roughly 70,803. College-educated residents now make up 69.8% of adults here, versus 67.6% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Dublin on your salary?
At $3,325/mo, how Dublin rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Dublin rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Dublin. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Dublin
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Dublin is $3,325/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,590/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,590/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,950/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,590/mo.
At 19% of local median household income ($214,385/yr), Dublin ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $3,325/mo, rent takes ~19% of Dublin's median household income ($214,385/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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