Rents are right about where Rancho Palos Verdes'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 $4,522 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
December. Asking rents in Rancho Palos Verdes usually run 1.3% below trend in December and 1.1% above it in July, about $109 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Rancho Palos Verdes is 0.2% below its high of $4,530 in August 2026, at $4,522 as of September 2026.
Rent in Rancho Palos Verdes changed +5.5% 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 Palos Verdes rose 30.6% while median household income rose 29.6% ($138,557 to $179,623). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Rancho Palos Verdes is 44% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($179,623) is $4,491 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,940); a 3-bedroom is $5,010.
Lomita, 4 miles away, rents for 36% less ($2,888/mo), about $19,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rancho Palos Verdes. 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 Palos Verdes, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 70.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rancho Palos Verdes, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA has climbed 32.6% since 2021, going from about $3,409 per month to roughly $4,522 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $158,996 in 2021 to $179,623 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 19.6 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 42,316 to 40,864 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.4% change. About 19.6% of households rent today, against 21.1% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 68.4% to 70.5%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Rancho Palos Verdes, CA market of 2021.
Discussions about Rancho Palos Verdes
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Can you afford rent in Rancho Palos Verdes on your salary?
At $4,522/mo, how Rancho Palos Verdes rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rancho Palos Verdes rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rancho Palos Verdes. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rancho Palos Verdes
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rancho Palos Verdes is $4,522/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,790/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,940/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $3,120/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $5,010/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($179,623/yr), Rancho Palos Verdes ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Is rent going up or down in Rancho Palos Verdes?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Has rent outpaced income in Rancho Palos Verdes?
How does Rancho Palos Verdes rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Rancho Palos Verdes?
At $4,522/mo, rent takes ~30% of Rancho Palos Verdes's median household income ($179,623/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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