At $3,104/mo, rent takes about 32% of the local median household income, slightly above the 30% benchmark.
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 $3,104 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 Emeryville usually run 1.7% below trend in December and 2.3% above it in August, about $124 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Emeryville is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in April 2019.
Rent in Emeryville changed +10.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent in Emeryville is 7.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($117,092) is $2,927 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,860); a 3-bedroom is $3,660.
Albany, 4 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,694/mo), about $4,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Emeryville. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
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.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Emeryville, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Emeryville, CA paid around $2,639 a month. That figure now sits near $3,104, up 17.6% 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.
Discussions about Emeryville
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Emeryville on your salary?
At $3,104/mo, how Emeryville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Emeryville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Emeryville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Emeryville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Emeryville is $3,104/mo as of October 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 10.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Emeryville?
Is rent going up or down in Emeryville?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Emeryville?
How does Emeryville rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Emeryville?
At $3,104/mo, rent takes ~32% of Emeryville's median household income ($117,092/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Emeryville.
No discussions yet.