Rents are 9% above what San Jose'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 $3,527 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
San Jose, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 47.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How San Jose, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in San Jose, CA has increased 34.1% since 2021, going from about $2,631 per month to roughly $3,527 today. Median household income grew from $125,075 to $146,427 between 2021 and 2024, a 17.1% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 17.0 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 1,013,337 to 990,138 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.3% change. Taken together, the five-year picture in San Jose, 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 San Jose on your salary?
At $3,527/mo, how San Jose rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
San Jose rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in San Jose. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in San Jose
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in San Jose is $3,527/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,553/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,371/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,908/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,369/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($146,427/yr), San Jose ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 12.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is San Jose an affordable city for renters?
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Which San Jose neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does San Jose rent compare to other cities in California?
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What percentage of San Jose residents rent vs. own?
How does San Jose rent compare to the national average?
At $3,527/mo, rent takes ~29% of San Jose's median household income ($146,427/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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