Rents are right about where South Lake Tahoe'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 $2,377 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 South Lake Tahoe usually run 1.7% below trend in February and 1.9% above it in June, about $86 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in South Lake Tahoe is 1% below its high of $2,400 in June 2026, at $2,377 as of September 2026.
Rent in South Lake Tahoe changed +6.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($82,002) is $2,050 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,850); a 3-bedroom is $2,510.
Carson City, NV, 21 miles away, rents for 11% less ($2,126/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for South Lake Tahoe. 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
South Lake Tahoe, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, 35.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How South Lake Tahoe, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in South Lake Tahoe, CA has climbed 25.4% since 2021, going from about $1,895 per month to roughly $2,377 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $57,976 in 2021 to $82,002 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 16.0 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. About 48.7% of households rent today, against 55.7% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 27.9% to 35.9%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the South Lake Tahoe, CA market of 2021.
Discussions about South Lake Tahoe
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Can you afford rent in South Lake Tahoe on your salary?
At $2,377/mo, how South Lake Tahoe rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
South Lake Tahoe rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in South Lake Tahoe. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in South Lake Tahoe
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in South Lake Tahoe is $2,377/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,410/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,850/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,490/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,510/mo.
At 35% of local median household income ($82,002/yr), South Lake Tahoe ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in South Lake Tahoe?
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How does South Lake Tahoe rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than South Lake Tahoe?
At $2,377/mo, rent takes ~35% of South Lake Tahoe's median household income ($82,002/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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