Rents are 17% below what Lancaster'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 $2,460 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
January. Asking rents in Lancaster usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 1% above it in August, about $42 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Lancaster is 0.4% below its high of $2,469 in July 2026, at $2,460 as of September 2026.
Rent in Lancaster changed +0.9% 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 Lancaster rose 48.2% while median household income rose 47.6% ($55,237 to $81,511). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Lancaster is 44.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($81,511) is $2,038 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,810); a 2-bedroom is $2,290.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Lancaster, 93536 ($2,687/mo), costs 40% more than the cheapest, 93534 ($1,916/mo).
Rosamond, 15 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,149/mo), about $3,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lancaster. 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
Lancaster, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 20% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lancaster, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Lancaster, CA has shifted from $1,959 to $2,460, up 25.6% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $61,454 to $81,511 across the same window, up 32.6% versus 2021. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Lancaster, CA losing about 2,651 residents over the five-year window, down 1.5% on net. The renter share has eased from 45% to 39.6%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Lancaster, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Lancaster on your salary?
At $2,460/mo, how Lancaster rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lancaster rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lancaster. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lancaster
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Lancaster is $2,460/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,600/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,290/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,810/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,940/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($81,511/yr), Lancaster ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Lancaster?
At $2,460/mo, rent takes ~36% of Lancaster's median household income ($81,511/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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