Rents are right about where Sonoma'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 $2,991 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
December. Asking rents in Sonoma usually run 1.5% below trend in December and 1% above it in September, about $75 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in Sonoma is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in August 2020.
Rent in Sonoma changed +3.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($98,527) is $2,463 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,050); a 2-bedroom is $2,690.
Rohnert Park, 14 miles away, rents for 15% less ($2,533/mo), about $5,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Sonoma. 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
Sonoma, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 51.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Sonoma, CA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Sonoma, CA has shifted from $2,221 to $2,991, up 34.7% since 2021. Median household income climbed from $92,078 to $98,527 between 2021 and 2024, a 7.0% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Sonoma, CA losing about 149 residents over the five-year window, down 1.4% on net. The renter share has eased from 39.1% to 35%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 45.7% to 51.2% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Sonoma, 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 Sonoma on your salary?
At $2,991/mo, how Sonoma rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Sonoma rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Sonoma. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Sonoma
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Sonoma is $2,991/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,840/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,690/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,050/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,670/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($98,527/yr), Sonoma 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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Is rent going up or down in Sonoma?
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How does Sonoma rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Sonoma?
At $2,991/mo, rent takes ~36% of Sonoma's median household income ($98,527/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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