Rents are 5% below what Fountain Valley'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 $2,998 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
April. Asking rents in Fountain Valley usually run 0.8% below trend in April and 0.9% above it in September, about $51 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Fountain Valley is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2017.
Rent in Fountain Valley changed +6.2% 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 Fountain Valley rose 39.4% while median household income rose 23.8% ($93,075 to $115,237). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Fountain Valley is 48.9% 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 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($115,237) is $2,881 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,630); a 2-bedroom is $3,110.
Stanton, 7 miles away, rents for 11% less ($2,683/mo), about $3,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fountain Valley. 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
Fountain Valley, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 46.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fountain Valley, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Fountain Valley, CA has increased 38.5% since 2021, going from about $2,164 per month to roughly $2,998 today. Median household income grew from $92,765 to $115,237 between 2021 and 2024, a 24.2% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 14.3 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 57,139 to 56,258 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.5% change. About 35.2% of households rent today, against 32.4% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 42.6% to 46.4%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Fountain Valley, 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.
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Can you afford rent in Fountain Valley on your salary?
At $2,998/mo, how Fountain Valley rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fountain Valley rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fountain Valley. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fountain Valley
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fountain Valley is $2,998/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,520/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,110/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,630/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,210/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($115,237/yr), Fountain Valley ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Fountain Valley?
At $2,998/mo, rent takes ~31% of Fountain Valley's median household income ($115,237/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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