Rents are right about where Grass Valley's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,122 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: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Grass Valley, CA is majority renter-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 32.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Grass Valley, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Grass Valley, CA has climbed 20.9% since 2023, going from about $1,755 per month to roughly $2,122 today. Household income in the area moved from $44,906 to $51,764 across the same window, up 15.3% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 5.6 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 13,550 to 14,113 between 2021 and 2024, a 4.2% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 27.8% to 32.8%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Grass Valley, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Grass Valley
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Can you afford rent in Grass Valley on your salary?
At $2,122/mo, how Grass Valley rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Grass Valley rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Grass Valley. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Grass Valley
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Grass Valley is $2,122/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,350/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,780/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,355/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,495/mo.
At 49% of local median household income ($51,764/yr), Grass Valley ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grass Valley an affordable city for renters?
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Which Grass Valley neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
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What percentage of Grass Valley residents rent vs. own?
How does Grass Valley rent compare to the national average?
At $2,122/mo, rent takes ~49% of Grass Valley's median household income ($51,764/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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