Rents are 3% below what Orange'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 $3,037 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 Orange usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.8% above it in July, about $46 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Orange is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Orange changed +3.8% 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 Orange rose 34.7% while median household income rose 27.6% ($91,793 to $117,113). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Orange is 42.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 11 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($117,113) is $2,928 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,760); a 3-bedroom is $3,734.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Orange, 92869 ($3,684/mo), costs 27% more than the cheapest, 92865 ($2,890/mo).
Garden Grove, 7 miles away, rents for 11% less ($2,703/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Orange. 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
Orange, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 39.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Orange, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Orange, CA has climbed from $2,295 to $3,037, a 32.3% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $102,125 to $117,113 across the same window, up 14.7% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 43.3% of households, compared with 40.7% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Orange, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Orange on your salary?
At $3,037/mo, how Orange rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Orange rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Orange. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Orange
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Orange is $3,037/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,228/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,760/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,332/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,734/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($117,113/yr), Orange ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Orange?
At $3,037/mo, rent takes ~31% of Orange's median household income ($117,113/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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