Rents are 18% below what Lake Elsinore'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 $2,414 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
Lake Elsinore, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 24.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lake Elsinore, CA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Lake Elsinore, CA has increased by $423 per month, settling near $2,414 after starting the period at $1,991. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $80,350 in 2021 to $101,888 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 5.6 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 68,822 to 72,461 between 2021 and 2024, a 5.3% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 22.2% to 24.3%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Lake Elsinore, CA market of 2021.
Discussions about Lake Elsinore
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Can you afford rent in Lake Elsinore on your salary?
At $2,414/mo, how Lake Elsinore rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lake Elsinore rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lake Elsinore. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lake Elsinore
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Lake Elsinore is $2,414/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,180/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,800/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,295/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,765/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($101,888/yr), Lake Elsinore ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 3.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lake Elsinore an affordable city for renters?
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Is rent going up or down in Lake Elsinore?
Which Lake Elsinore neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Lake Elsinore rent compare to other cities in California?
What percentage of Lake Elsinore residents rent vs. own?
How does Lake Elsinore rent compare to the national average?
At $2,414/mo, rent takes ~28% of Lake Elsinore's median household income ($101,888/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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