Rents are 3% below what El Monte'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 $2,451 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
Rent in El Monte is 0.3% below its high of $2,458 in March 2026, at $2,451 as of September 2026.
Rent in El Monte changed +1.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($68,030) is $1,701 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,600); a 1-bedroom is $1,810.
East Los Angeles, 9 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,125/mo), about $3,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for El Monte. 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 Monte, CA is majority renter-occupied, 15.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How El Monte, CA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2023, rent in El Monte, CA has climbed by $227 per month, settling near $2,451 after starting the period at $2,224. Household income in the area moved from $56,524 to $68,030 across the same window, up 20.4% versus 2021. Income growth outran rent by about 10.2 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 110,144 to 106,109 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.7% change. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in El Monte, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in El Monte on your salary?
At $2,451/mo, how El Monte rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
El Monte rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in El Monte. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in El Monte
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in El Monte is $2,451/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,600/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,290/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,810/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,940/mo.
At 43% of local median household income ($68,030/yr), El Monte ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in El Monte?
Is rent going up or down in El Monte?
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How does El Monte rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,451/mo, rent takes ~43% of El Monte's median household income ($68,030/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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