Rents are 3% above what Fremont's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
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 $3,388 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 Fremont usually run 1.2% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in July, about $85 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Fremont is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Fremont 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 Fremont rose 11.8% while median household income rose 36.1% ($133,354 to $181,506). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Fremont is 20.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 18 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($181,506) is $4,538 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($4,303); a 4-bedroom is $5,110.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Fremont, 94539 ($4,088/mo), costs 24% more than the cheapest, 94538 ($3,296/mo).
Union City, 5 miles away, rents for 14% less ($2,913/mo), about $5,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fremont. 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
Fremont, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 63.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fremont, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Fremont, CA has increased 24.8% since 2021, going from about $2,714 per month to roughly $3,388 today. Household income in the area moved from $153,475 to $181,506 across the same window, up 18.3% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 6.5 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 231,502 to 228,295 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.4% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 60.1% to 63.9%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Fremont, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Fremont on your salary?
At $3,388/mo, how Fremont rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fremont rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fremont. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fremont
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fremont is $3,388/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,425/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,360/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,760/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,303/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($181,506/yr), Fremont ranks as affordable 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 Fremont?
At $3,388/mo, rent takes ~22% of Fremont's median household income ($181,506/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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