Rents are right about where San Leandro's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,517 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
February. Asking rents in San Leandro usually run 0.6% below trend in February and 0.5% above it in November, about $28 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in San Leandro is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2017.
Rent in San Leandro changed +3.2% 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 Leandro rose 13.4% while median household income rose 30% ($78,003 to $101,420). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in San Leandro is 17.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($101,420) is $2,536 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,380); a 3-bedroom is $3,055.
Vallejo, 30 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,200/mo), about $3,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for San Leandro. 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 Leandro, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 33.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How San Leandro, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in San Leandro, CA has shifted from $2,177 to $2,517, up 15.6% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in San Leandro, CA now reports about $101,420, up from $89,663 in 2021. Census counts show San Leandro, CA losing about 3,350 residents over the five-year window, down 3.7% on net. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and San Leandro, CA reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in San Leandro on your salary?
At $2,517/mo, how San Leandro rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
San Leandro rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in San Leandro. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in San Leandro
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in San Leandro is $2,517/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,715/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,380/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,955/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,055/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($101,420/yr), San Leandro ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does San Leandro rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,517/mo, rent takes ~30% of San Leandro's median household income ($101,420/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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