Rents are 12% above what San Bruno'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 $3,346 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
March. Asking rents in San Bruno usually run 0.8% below trend in March and 0.5% above it in November, about $43 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in San Bruno is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2019.
Rent in San Bruno changed +10.1% 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 San Bruno rose 5.4% while median household income rose 29.1% ($109,387 to $141,272). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in San Bruno is 20.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 13 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($141,272) is $3,532 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,190); a 3-bedroom is $3,980.
Alameda, 13 miles away, rents for 14% less ($2,876/mo), about $5,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for San Bruno. 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
San Bruno, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 45.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How San Bruno, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in San Bruno, CA paid around $2,550 a month. That figure now sits near $3,346, up 31.2% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $117,747 in 2021 to $141,272 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show San Bruno, CA losing about 1,468 residents over the five-year window, down 3.4% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 42.8% to 45.2% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the San Bruno, CA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in San Bruno on your salary?
At $3,346/mo, how San Bruno rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
San Bruno rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in San Bruno. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in San Bruno
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in San Bruno is $3,346/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,190/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,190/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,670/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,980/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($141,272/yr), San Bruno ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 10.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than San Bruno?
At $3,346/mo, rent takes ~28% of San Bruno's median household income ($141,272/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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