At $4,682/mo, rent takes about 40% of the local median household income, slightly above the 30% benchmark.
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 $4,682 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in San Francisco usually run 1.2% below trend in January and 1.3% above it in August, about $117 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in San Francisco is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in San Francisco changed +25.1% over the year to August 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in San Francisco rose -3.8% while median household income rose 25.4% ($112,449 to $140,970). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in San Francisco is 31.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 24 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($140,970) is $3,524 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,390); a 3-bedroom is $4,185.
The priciest of 22 ZIP codes in San Francisco, 94127 ($6,200/mo), costs 1.9 times the cheapest, 94132 ($3,260/mo).
Daly City, 7 miles away, rents for 37% less ($2,962/mo), about $20,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for San Francisco. 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 Francisco, CA is majority renter-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 60.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How San Francisco, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in San Francisco, CA has increased from $3,017 to $4,682, a 55.2% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $126,187 in 2021 to $140,970 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 4.1% since 2021, moving from about 865,933 residents to roughly 830,235. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the San Francisco, CA market of 2021.
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At $4,682/mo, how San Francisco rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
San Francisco rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in San Francisco. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in San Francisco
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in San Francisco is $4,682/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,319/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,390/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,842/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,185/mo.
At 40% of local median household income ($140,970/yr), San Francisco ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 25.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $4,682/mo, rent takes ~40% of San Francisco's median household income ($140,970/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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