Rents are 4% below what Huntington Beach'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 $3,081 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Huntington Beach usually run 0.5% below trend in January and 0.5% above it in July, about $31 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Huntington Beach is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Huntington Beach changed +3.7% over the year to August 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Huntington Beach rose 32.6% while median household income rose 27.2% ($95,046 to $120,919). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Huntington Beach is 37.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($120,919) is $3,023 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,928); a 3-bedroom is $3,960.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Huntington Beach, 92648 ($3,364/mo), costs 18% more than the cheapest, 92647 ($2,853/mo).
Garden Grove, 6 miles away, rents for 10% less ($2,767/mo), about $3,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Huntington Beach. 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
Huntington Beach, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 49% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Huntington Beach, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Huntington Beach, CA has increased 32.6% since 2021, going from about $2,323 per month to roughly $3,081 today. Census figures show median household income at $120,919 today, compared with $104,728 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 17.1 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 198,735 to 195,240 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.8% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 45.2% to 49%. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Huntington Beach on your salary?
At $3,081/mo, how Huntington Beach rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Huntington Beach rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Huntington Beach. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Huntington Beach
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Huntington Beach is $3,081/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,373/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,928/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,475/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,960/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($120,919/yr), Huntington Beach ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Huntington Beach?
At $3,081/mo, rent takes ~31% of Huntington Beach's median household income ($120,919/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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