Rents are 13% below what Modesto'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 $2,022 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 Modesto usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in August, about $28 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Modesto is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Modesto changed +1.8% 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 Modesto rose 42.5% while median household income rose 34.8% ($59,287 to $79,891). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Modesto is 41.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($79,891) is $1,997 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,582); a 3-bedroom is $2,217.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Modesto, 95355 ($2,112/mo), costs 22% more than the cheapest, 95351 ($1,725/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Modesto. 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
Modesto, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 21.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Modesto, CA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Modesto, CA stood at $1,586 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,022, reflecting a 27.5% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $67,011 to $79,891 between 2021 and 2024, a 19.2% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 41.1% of households, compared with 43.5% five years ago. Taken together, the five-year picture in Modesto, 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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At $2,022/mo, how Modesto rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Modesto rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Modesto. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Modesto
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Modesto is $2,022/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,143/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,582/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,222/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,217/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($79,891/yr), Modesto ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Modesto rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,022/mo, rent takes ~30% of Modesto's median household income ($79,891/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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