Rents are 16% above what Los Altos's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
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 $6,886 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 Los Altos usually run 1.3% below trend in January and 1.9% above it in July, about $220 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Los Altos is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2019.
Rent in Los Altos changed +19.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent in Los Altos is 44.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 13 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($250,001) is $6,250 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($5,850).
Mountain View, 4 miles away, rents for 34% less ($4,535/mo), about $28,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Los Altos. 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
Los Altos, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 88.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Los Altos, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Los Altos, CA has increased 50.0% since 2021, going from about $4,591 per month to roughly $6,886 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Los Altos, CA now reports about $250,001, up from $250,001 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 50.0 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 31,562 to 30,698 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.7% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 85.9% to 88.1%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Los Altos, CA reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $6,886/mo, how Los Altos rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Los Altos rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Los Altos. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Los Altos
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Los Altos is $6,886/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $3,130/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $4,170/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $3,530/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $5,380/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($250,001/yr), Los Altos ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 19.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Los Altos?
At $6,886/mo, rent takes ~33% of Los Altos's median household income ($250,001/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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