How much does it cost to rent in Hollister, CA?

As of August 2026, the median monthly rent in Hollister, CA is $2,911. This figure is based on aggregated data from public sources and community-submitted rents.

Is Hollister cheaper than other California cities?

Hollister falls in the middle range for California, ranking #166 out of 381 cities at $2,911/mo.

When was Hollister rent data last updated?

Hollister rent data reflects August 2026 and was last refreshed on August 17, 2026. RentDataNow refreshes all data monthly using public and private datasets.

What is the Fair Market Rent in Hollister, CA?

HUD sets the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Hollister, CA at $2,820 per month, which is 3% below the $2,911 market median. Fair Market Rent is the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) payment standard. It is a 40th-percentile gross rent that includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash, and HUD updates it once a year, so it measures something different from current market asking rent.

City Report · CA

Hollister

Name: Average Rent Prices in Hollister, CA
Creator: RentDataNow
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Pop. 43,811·166th most expensive in California·Hollister rents are up 6.9% over the past year

Median rent (all units)

$2,911/mo

Year-over-Year

+6.9%

Month-over-Month

-4.2%

vs US Median

+$949

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Hollister · $2,911

More expensive than 89% of US cities · National median $1,962/mo

Affordability

31% of income

MODERATE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $2,911/mo, rent takes about 31% of the local median household income, slightly above the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$116,000/yr

Local median income

$111,834/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Hollister's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$2,150

1 BR

$2,430

2 BR

$2,820

3 BR

$3,610

4 BR+

$3,990

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$2,820/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,911 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Annual cost

$34,932/yr

At $2,911/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+6.9% YoY, -4.2% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Hollister, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 19.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

43,811

Median income

$111,834

Median age

34.1

Renters

34.6%

Age distribution

27.3%

23.6%

27.2%

Under 1827.3%

18–3423.6%

35–5427.2%

55–6411%

65+11%

Gender

49.7%

50.3%

Male49.7%

Female50.3%

Race & ethnicity

29.7%

69.3%

White29.7%

Black1.3%

Hispanic69.3%

Asian4.6%

Education (25+)

19.7%

30%

31.1%

19.1%

No HS diploma19.7%

HS diploma30%

Some college31.1%

Bachelor's+19.1%

Housing tenure

65.4%

34.6%

Owner65.4%

Renter34.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2023 vs 2026

How Hollister, CA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$2,685 → $2,911

up 8.4%

Income

$87,761 → $111,834

up 27.4%

Population

41,077 → 43,811

up 6.7%

Renter share

35.4% → 34.6%

-0.8 pts

Bachelor's+

14.9% → 19.1%

+4.2 pts

Median age

33.3 → 34.1

+0.8 yrs

Compared with 2023, rent in Hollister, CA has climbed by $226 per month, settling near $2,911 after starting the period at $2,685. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $87,761 in 2021 to $111,834 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 19.0 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 41,077 to 43,811 between 2021 and 2024, a 6.7% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 14.9% to 19.1%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Hollister, CA market of 2023.

Community

Discussions about Hollister

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View Hollister rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Hollister on your salary?

At $2,911/mo, how Hollister rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $111,486/yr · Rent = 31.3% income

stretched

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $79,154/yr · Rent = 44.1% income

rent-burdened

Police Officer

Avg $91,179/yr · Rent = 38.3% income

stretched

Software Developer

Avg $162,970/yr · Rent = 21.4% income

affordable

Lawyer

Avg $208,235/yr · Rent = 16.8% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $74,116/yr · Rent = 47.1% income

rent-burdened

Truck Driver

Avg $66,918/yr · Rent = 52.2% income

severely rent-burdened

Electrician

Avg $82,482/yr · Rent = 42.4% income

rent-burdened

By apartment size

Hollister rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Hollister. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Hollister

About renting in Hollister, CA

Last updated: August 17, 2026

The median rent in Hollister is $2,911/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,150/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,820/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,430/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,610/mo.

At 31% of local median household income ($111,834/yr), Hollister ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.9% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Hollister an affordable city for renters?

Hollister is considered moderate for renters. At $2,911/mo, rent takes approximately 31% of the local median household income ($111,834/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%. Hollister slightly exceeds that threshold, so budgeting carefully matters here.

How much income do you need to rent in Hollister?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $116,000/year (~$56/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,911/mo in Hollister. The local median household income is $111,834/yr, meaning the typical Hollister household falls short of that threshold.

Is rent going up or down in Hollister?

Rent in Hollister has increased 6.9% over the past year as of August 2026, putting upward pressure on renter budgets.

How does Hollister rent compare to other cities in California?

Hollister is middle-of-the-pack for California for rent, ranking #166 out of 381 tracked cities at $2,911/mo.

Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Hollister?

Several nearby cities have lower median rents than Hollister ($2,911/mo): Newman ($1,295/mo), Salinas ($2,472/mo).

What percentage of Hollister residents rent vs. own?

According to Census data, approximately 34.6% of Hollister households are renters, while 65.4% are owner-occupied. Hollister leans toward homeownership, which can mean a smaller rental inventory.

How does Hollister rent compare to the national average?

Hollister's median rent of $2,911/mo is $949 (48%) above the US national median of $1,962/mo. Within California, it ranks #166 out of 381 tracked cities.

Income Affordability

31%

MODERATE

At $2,911/mo, rent takes ~31% of Hollister's median household income ($111,834/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.

Hollister 31%Benchmark 30%

State income tax1–13.3%

Run the Hollister affordability calculator →

Nearby cities