Rents are right about where Petaluma's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,869 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
February. Asking rents in Petaluma usually run 1.1% below trend in February and 1% above it in August, about $60 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Petaluma is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Petaluma changed +6.9% 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 Petaluma rose 22.8% while median household income rose 26.1% ($91,528 to $115,430). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Petaluma is 30.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($115,430) is $2,886 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,555); a 2-bedroom is $3,200.
Rohnert Park, 8 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,533/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Petaluma. 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
Petaluma, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 43.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Petaluma, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Petaluma, CA has climbed 29.8% since 2021, going from about $2,210 per month to roughly $2,869 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $100,379 in 2021 to $115,430 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 14.8 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 60,050 to 59,247 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.3% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 40.3% to 43.8%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Petaluma, CA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Petaluma on your salary?
At $2,869/mo, how Petaluma rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Petaluma rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Petaluma. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Petaluma
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Petaluma is $2,869/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,190/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,200/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,555/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,160/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($115,430/yr), Petaluma ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,869/mo, rent takes ~30% of Petaluma's median household income ($115,430/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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