Rents are 6% below what Simi Valley's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $2,778 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
November. Asking rents in Simi Valley usually run 0.8% below trend in November and 0.9% above it in August, about $47 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Simi Valley is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Simi Valley 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 Simi Valley rose 33.1% while median household income rose 23.1% ($99,151 to $122,081). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Simi Valley is 37.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($122,081) is $3,052 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,970); a 3-bedroom is $4,050.
Santa Paula, 22 miles away, rents for 18% less ($2,288/mo), about $5,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Simi Valley. 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
Simi Valley, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 39.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Simi Valley, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Simi Valley, CA has climbed 26.0% since 2021, going from about $2,204 per month to roughly $2,778 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $102,627 in 2021 to $122,081 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 7.0 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 27.1% of households rent today, against 28.6% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 34.5% to 39.1%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Simi Valley, CA market of 2021.
Discussions about Simi Valley
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Simi Valley on your salary?
At $2,778/mo, how Simi Valley rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Simi Valley rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Simi Valley. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Simi Valley
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Simi Valley is $2,778/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,165/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,970/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,480/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,050/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($122,081/yr), Simi Valley ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Simi Valley?
Is rent going up or down in Simi Valley?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Simi Valley?
Has rent outpaced income in Simi Valley?
Which Simi Valley neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Simi Valley rent compare to other cities in California?
At $2,778/mo, rent takes ~27% of Simi Valley's median household income ($122,081/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 Simi Valley.
No discussions yet.