Rents are 5% below what Monrovia'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 $2,822 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
November. Asking rents in Monrovia usually run 0.7% below trend in November and 0.8% above it in February, about $42 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Monrovia is 1.1% below its high of $2,853 in November 2025, at $2,822 as of September 2026.
Rent in Monrovia changed -0.1% 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 Monrovia rose 31.7% while median household income rose 24.5% ($77,111 to $96,021). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Monrovia is 35.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($96,021) is $2,401 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,090); a 2-bedroom is $2,640.
El Monte, 6 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,451/mo), about $4,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Monrovia. 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
Monrovia, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 42.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Monrovia, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Monrovia, CA has shifted from $2,134 to $2,822, up 32.2% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $87,077 in 2021 to $96,021 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Monrovia, CA losing about 428 residents over the five-year window, down 1.1% on net. The renter share has risen from 51.4% to 53.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Monrovia, CA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Monrovia on your salary?
At $2,822/mo, how Monrovia rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Monrovia rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Monrovia. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Monrovia
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Monrovia is $2,822/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,870/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,640/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,090/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,350/mo.
At 35% of local median household income ($96,021/yr), Monrovia ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Monrovia?
At $2,822/mo, rent takes ~35% of Monrovia's median household income ($96,021/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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