Rents are 10% below what Sacramento'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 $2,064 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: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Sacramento, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, 37.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Sacramento, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Sacramento, CA has shifted from $1,648 to $2,064, up 25.2% since 2021. Median household income climbed from $71,074 to $87,321 between 2021 and 2024, a 22.9% shift. Census counts show Sacramento, CA adding about 10,101 residents over the five-year window, up 1.9% on net. The renter share has eased from 49.9% to 48.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 35.1% to 37.1% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Sacramento, 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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Can you afford rent in Sacramento on your salary?
At $2,064/mo, how Sacramento rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Sacramento rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Sacramento. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Sacramento
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Sacramento is $2,064/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,644/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,159/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,739/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,929/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($87,321/yr), Sacramento ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sacramento an affordable city for renters?
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Is rent going up or down in Sacramento?
Which Sacramento neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Sacramento rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Sacramento?
What percentage of Sacramento residents rent vs. own?
How does Sacramento rent compare to the national average?
At $2,064/mo, rent takes ~28% of Sacramento's median household income ($87,321/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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