Rents are 9% below what Hawthorne'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 $2,151 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 Hawthorne is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Hawthorne changed +2.3% 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 Hawthorne rose 26.1% while median household income rose 39.9% ($54,215 to $75,848). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Hawthorne is 30.7% 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 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($75,848) is $1,896 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,860); a 2-bedroom is $2,340.
Huntington Park, 9 miles away, rents for 18% less ($1,768/mo), about $4,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Hawthorne. 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
Hawthorne, CA is majority renter-occupied, 26% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Hawthorne, CA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Hawthorne, CA has climbed by $445 per month, settling near $2,151 after starting the period at $1,706. Median household income grew from $63,847 to $75,848 between 2021 and 2024, a 18.8% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 7.3 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 87,863 to 85,191 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.0% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 24% to 26%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Hawthorne, 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 Hawthorne on your salary?
At $2,151/mo, how Hawthorne rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Hawthorne rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Hawthorne. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Hawthorne
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Hawthorne is $2,151/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,650/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,340/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,860/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,970/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($75,848/yr), Hawthorne ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Hawthorne?
Has rent outpaced income in Hawthorne?
How does Hawthorne rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,151/mo, rent takes ~34% of Hawthorne's median household income ($75,848/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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