Rents are 5% below what Los Banos'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 $2,354 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
Rent in Los Banos is 1.5% below its high of $2,390 in March 2026, at $2,354 as of September 2026.
Rent in Los Banos changed +2.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($68,171) is $1,704 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,430); a 2-bedroom is $1,760.
Atwater, 20 miles away, rents for 21% less ($1,853/mo), about $6,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Los Banos. 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 Banos, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 12.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Los Banos, CA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Los Banos, CA stood at $2,080 in 2023 and currently runs about $2,354, reflecting a 13.2% increase over the period. Median household income slipped from $69,607 to $68,171 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.1% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 7.1% since 2021, moving from about 44,421 residents to roughly 47,593. Renters now make up 40.2% of households, compared with 44% five years ago. Taken together, the five-year picture in Los Banos, CA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Los Banos on your salary?
At $2,354/mo, how Los Banos rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Los Banos rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Los Banos. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Los Banos
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Los Banos is $2,354/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,250/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,760/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,430/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,430/mo.
At 41% of local median household income ($68,171/yr), Los Banos ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Los Banos?
Is rent going up or down in Los Banos?
How does Los Banos rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,354/mo, rent takes ~41% of Los Banos's median household income ($68,171/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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