How much does it cost to rent in Emeryville, CA?

As of August 2026, the median monthly rent in Emeryville, CA is $3,106. This figure is based on aggregated data from public sources and community-submitted rents.

Is Emeryville cheaper than other California cities?

Emeryville falls in the middle range for California, ranking #132 out of 381 cities at $3,106/mo.

When was Emeryville rent data last updated?

Emeryville rent data reflects August 2026 and was last refreshed on August 17, 2026. RentDataNow refreshes all data monthly using public and private datasets.

What is the Fair Market Rent in Emeryville, CA?

HUD sets the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Emeryville, CA at $2,860 per month, which is 8% below the $3,106 market median. Fair Market Rent is the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) payment standard. It is a 40th-percentile gross rent that includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash, and HUD updates it once a year, so it measures something different from current market asking rent.

City Report · CA

Emeryville

Name: Average Rent Prices in Emeryville, CA
Creator: RentDataNow
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Pop. 13,081·132nd most expensive in California·Emeryville rents are up 10.8% over the past year

Median rent (all units)

$3,106/mo

Year-over-Year

+10.8%

Month-over-Month

-2.3%

vs US Median

+$1,144

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Emeryville · $3,106

More expensive than 92% of US cities · National median $1,962/mo

Affordability

32% of income

MODERATE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $3,106/mo, rent takes about 32% of the local median household income, slightly above the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$124,000/yr

Local median income

$117,092/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Emeryville's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$2,070

1 BR

$2,350

2 BR

$2,860

3 BR

$3,660

4 BR+

$4,350

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$2,860/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $3,106 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Annual cost

$37,272/yr

At $3,106/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 10.8% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+10.8% YoY, -2.3% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Emeryville, CA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 70.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

13,081

Median income

$117,092

Median age

34.5

Renters

75.8%

Age distribution

44.4%

27.9%

Under 187.7%

18–3444.4%

35–5427.9%

55–649%

65+11%

Gender

50.5%

49.5%

Male50.5%

Female49.5%

Race & ethnicity

34.1%

20.6%

31.4%

White34.1%

Black20.6%

Hispanic11.6%

Asian31.4%

Other2.3%

Education (25+)

18.4%

70.5%

No HS diploma2.6%

HS diploma8.4%

Some college18.4%

Bachelor's+70.5%

Housing tenure

24.2%

75.8%

Owner24.2%

Renter75.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Emeryville, CA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$2,621 → $3,106

up 18.5%

Income

$109,960 → $117,092

up 6.5%

Population

12,747 → 13,081

up 2.6%

Renter share

71.9% → 75.8%

+3.9 pts

Bachelor's+

71.7% → 70.5%

-1.2 pts

Five years ago, renters in Emeryville, CA paid around $2,621 a month. That figure now sits near $3,106, up 18.5% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $109,960 to $117,092 between 2021 and 2024, a 6.5% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Emeryville, CA adding about 334 residents over the five-year window, up 2.6% on net. The renter share has risen from 71.9% to 75.8%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Taken together, the five-year picture in Emeryville, CA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

Community

Discussions about Emeryville

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View Emeryville rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Emeryville on your salary?

At $3,106/mo, how Emeryville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $111,486/yr · Rent = 33.4% income

stretched

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $79,154/yr · Rent = 47.1% income

rent-burdened

Police Officer

Avg $91,179/yr · Rent = 40.9% income

rent-burdened

Software Developer

Avg $162,970/yr · Rent = 22.9% income

affordable

Lawyer

Avg $208,235/yr · Rent = 17.9% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $74,116/yr · Rent = 50.3% income

severely rent-burdened

Truck Driver

Avg $66,918/yr · Rent = 55.7% income

severely rent-burdened

Electrician

Avg $82,482/yr · Rent = 45.2% income

rent-burdened

By apartment size

Emeryville rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Emeryville. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Emeryville

About renting in Emeryville, CA

Last updated: August 17, 2026

The median rent in Emeryville is $3,106/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,070/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,860/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,350/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,660/mo.

At 32% of local median household income ($117,092/yr), Emeryville ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 10.8% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Emeryville an affordable city for renters?

Emeryville is considered moderate for renters. At $3,106/mo, rent takes approximately 32% of the local median household income ($117,092/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%. Emeryville slightly exceeds that threshold, so budgeting carefully matters here.

How much income do you need to rent in Emeryville?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $124,000/year (~$60/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $3,106/mo in Emeryville. The local median household income is $117,092/yr, meaning the typical Emeryville household falls short of that threshold.

Is rent going up or down in Emeryville?

Rent in Emeryville has increased 10.8% over the past year as of August 2026, putting upward pressure on renter budgets.

How does Emeryville rent compare to other cities in California?

Emeryville is middle-of-the-pack for California for rent, ranking #132 out of 381 tracked cities at $3,106/mo.

Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Emeryville?

Several nearby cities have lower median rents than Emeryville ($3,106/mo): Oakland ($2,691/mo), Albany ($2,715/mo), El Cerrito ($2,730/mo).

What percentage of Emeryville residents rent vs. own?

According to Census data, approximately 75.8% of Emeryville households are renters, while 24.2% are owner-occupied. With a majority renter population, Emeryville has a strong rental market.

How does Emeryville rent compare to the national average?

Emeryville's median rent of $3,106/mo is $1,144 (58%) above the US national median of $1,962/mo. Within California, it ranks #132 out of 381 tracked cities.

Income Affordability

32%

MODERATE

At $3,106/mo, rent takes ~32% of Emeryville's median household income ($117,092/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.

Emeryville 32%Benchmark 30%

State income tax1–13.3%

Run the Emeryville affordability calculator →

Nearby cities