Rents are 7% above what Oildale'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 $1,441 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: June 22, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Oildale is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in April 2022.
Rent in Oildale changed +14.0% over the year to May 2026. Across the 334 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($51,298) is $1,282 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,241); a 3-bedroom is $1,623.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Oildale. 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
Oildale, CA is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 12.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Oildale, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Oildale, CA paid around $1,150 a month. That figure now sits near $1,441, up 25.3% from the 2022 baseline. Median household income climbed from $42,073 to $51,298 between 2021 and 2024, a 21.9% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Oildale, CA adding about 337 residents over the five-year window, up 1.0% on net. The renter share has eased from 63.6% to 59.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 8.8% to 12.4% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Oildale, 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 Oildale on your salary?
At $1,441/mo, how Oildale rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Oildale rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Oildale. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Oildale
Last updated: June 22, 2026
The median rent in Oildale is $1,441/mo as of June 2026. A studio apartment averages $723/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,241/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $959/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,623/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($51,298/yr), Oildale ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 14.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Oildale?
Is rent going up or down in Oildale?
How does Oildale rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Oildale?
At $1,441/mo, rent takes ~34% of Oildale's median household income ($51,298/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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