Rents are 9% above what Santa Clara'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 $3,958 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
January. Asking rents in Santa Clara usually run 1.4% below trend in January and 1.5% above it in August, about $115 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Santa Clara is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Santa Clara changed +8.2% 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 Santa Clara rose 11.7% while median household income rose 42% ($126,006 to $178,958). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Santa Clara is 24% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 19 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($178,958) is $4,474 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,660); a 3-bedroom is $4,757.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Santa Clara, 95054 ($4,163/mo), costs 14% more than the cheapest, 95050 ($3,644/mo).
Campbell, 6 miles away, rents for 13% less ($3,433/mo), about $6,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Santa Clara. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Santa Clara, CA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 65.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Santa Clara, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Santa Clara, CA paid around $2,915 a month. That figure now sits near $3,958, up 35.8% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $178,958 today, compared with $150,244 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Santa Clara, CA adding about 2,334 residents over the five-year window, up 1.8% on net. The renter share has risen from 57.6% to 59.2%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 63.2% to 65.9% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Santa Clara
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Santa Clara on your salary?
At $3,958/mo, how Santa Clara rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Santa Clara rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Santa Clara. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Santa Clara
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Santa Clara is $3,958/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,770/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,660/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $3,160/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,757/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($178,958/yr), Santa Clara ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 8.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Santa Clara?
Is rent going up or down in Santa Clara?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Santa Clara?
Has rent outpaced income in Santa Clara?
Which Santa Clara neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Santa Clara rent compare to other cities in California?
At $3,958/mo, rent takes ~27% of Santa Clara's median household income ($178,958/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Santa Clara.
No discussions yet.