Rents are 7% above what Rowland Heights'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 $2,421 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
September. Asking rents in Rowland Heights usually run 2.3% below trend in September and 1.1% above it in April, about $82 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Rowland Heights is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2021.
Rent in Rowland Heights changed +17.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($85,617) is $2,140 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,120); a 2-bedroom is $2,670.
East Los Angeles, 16 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,125/mo), about $3,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rowland Heights. 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
Rowland Heights, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 36.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rowland Heights, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Rowland Heights, CA has shifted from $1,659 to $2,421, up 45.9% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $85,617 today, compared with $79,476 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Rowland Heights, CA losing about 2,854 residents over the five-year window, down 5.9% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 38.4% to 36.1% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $2,421/mo, how Rowland Heights rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rowland Heights rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rowland Heights. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rowland Heights
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rowland Heights is $2,421/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,890/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,670/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,120/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,390/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($85,617/yr), Rowland Heights ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 17.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Rowland Heights rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,421/mo, rent takes ~34% of Rowland Heights's median household income ($85,617/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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