Rents are 12% below what El Cajon'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 $2,259 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 El Cajon usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.5% above it in September, about $27 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in El Cajon is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in El Cajon changed +0.5% 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 El Cajon rose 44.5% while median household income rose 22.1% ($55,309 to $67,511). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in El Cajon is 43.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($67,511) is $1,688 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,923).
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in El Cajon, 92019 ($2,748/mo), costs 29% more than the cheapest, 92020 ($2,124/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for El Cajon. 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
El Cajon, CA is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 23% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How El Cajon, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in El Cajon, CA has climbed from $1,688 to $2,259, a 33.8% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $58,193 to $67,511 across the same window, up 16.0% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.5% since 2021, moving from about 106,043 residents to roughly 104,449. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in El Cajon, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about El Cajon
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Can you afford rent in El Cajon on your salary?
At $2,259/mo, how El Cajon rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
El Cajon rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in El Cajon. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in El Cajon
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in El Cajon is $2,259/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,923/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,580/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,087/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,450/mo.
At 40% of local median household income ($67,511/yr), El Cajon ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does El Cajon rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,259/mo, rent takes ~40% of El Cajon's median household income ($67,511/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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