Rents are 8% below what Glendale'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 $2,765 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 Glendale is 0.9% below its high of $2,791 in February 2025, at $2,765 as of September 2026.
Rent in Glendale changed +0.1% 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 Glendale rose 23% while median household income rose 33.7% ($66,130 to $88,393). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Glendale is 23.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
30% of the median household income ($88,393) is $2,210 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($2,099); a 1-bedroom is $2,356.
The priciest of 8 ZIP codes in Glendale, 91207 ($4,054/mo), costs 1.8 times the cheapest, 91205 ($2,296/mo).
East Los Angeles, 10 miles away, rents for 23% less ($2,125/mo), about $7,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Glendale. 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
Glendale, CA is majority renter-occupied, 47.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Glendale, CA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Glendale, CA has climbed by $551 per month, settling near $2,765 after starting the period at $2,214. Household income in the area moved from $74,488 to $88,393 across the same window, up 18.7% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 6.2 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 196,512 to 190,748 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.9% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 43% to 47.2%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Glendale, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Glendale on your salary?
At $2,765/mo, how Glendale rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Glendale rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Glendale. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Glendale
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Glendale is $2,765/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,099/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,971/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,356/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,775/mo.
At 38% of local median household income ($88,393/yr), Glendale ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Glendale?
At $2,765/mo, rent takes ~38% of Glendale's median household income ($88,393/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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