Rents are 11% below what Rancho Cordova'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 $2,412 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 Rancho Cordova usually run 1.5% below trend in January and 1.3% above it in August, about $68 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Rancho Cordova is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Rancho Cordova changed +2.4% 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 Rancho Cordova rose 34.5% while median household income rose 37.2% ($65,307 to $89,585). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Rancho Cordova is 34.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($89,585) is $2,240 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,023); a 2-bedroom is $2,513.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Rancho Cordova, 95742 ($3,047/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 95827 ($1,978/mo).
Carmichael, 4 miles away, rents for 27% less ($1,757/mo), about $7,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rancho Cordova. 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
Rancho Cordova, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 32.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rancho Cordova, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Rancho Cordova, CA has climbed 24.6% since 2021, going from about $1,936 per month to roughly $2,412 today. Household income in the area moved from $77,044 to $89,585 across the same window, up 16.3% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 8.3 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 78,358 to 81,849 between 2021 and 2024, a 4.5% change. About 41.8% of households rent today, against 44% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 27.2% to 32.1%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Rancho Cordova, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Rancho Cordova on your salary?
At $2,412/mo, how Rancho Cordova rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rancho Cordova rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rancho Cordova. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rancho Cordova
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rancho Cordova is $2,412/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,913/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,513/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,023/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,410/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($89,585/yr), Rancho Cordova ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Rancho Cordova?
At $2,412/mo, rent takes ~32% of Rancho Cordova's median household income ($89,585/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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