Rents are 11% above what Pacifica'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 $3,594 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
April. Asking rents in Pacifica usually run 0.6% below trend in April and 1.1% above it in October, about $61 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in Pacifica is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2019.
Rent in Pacifica changed +9.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent in Pacifica is 21.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($160,523) is $4,013 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,310); a 3-bedroom is $4,130.
Daly City, 6 miles away, rents for 15% less ($3,046/mo), about $6,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Pacifica. 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
Pacifica, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 48.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Pacifica, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Pacifica, CA has increased from $2,781 to $3,594, a 29.2% change over five years. Median household income rose from $138,548 to $160,523 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.9% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 3.5% since 2021, moving from about 38,595 residents to roughly 37,261. Taken together, the five-year picture in Pacifica, 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 $3,594/mo, how Pacifica rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Pacifica rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Pacifica. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Pacifica
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Pacifica is $3,594/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,270/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,310/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,770/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,130/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($160,523/yr), Pacifica ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 9.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Pacifica?
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How does Pacifica rent compare to other cities in California?
At $3,594/mo, rent takes ~27% of Pacifica's median household income ($160,523/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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