Rent Affordability for A Chef in California
A typical chef in California earns about $75,697 a year, which supports approximately $1,892 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked California city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.
As of May 2026. 10 of 200 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 190 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porterville, CA | $1,377/mo | 21.8% | affordable |
| Chico, CA | $1,577/mo | 25% | affordable |
| Redding, CA | $1,642/mo | 26% | affordable |
| El Centro, CA | $1,719/mo | 27.3% | affordable |
| Carmichael, CA | $1,795/mo | 28.5% | affordable |
| Huntington Park, CA | $1,820/mo | 28.9% | affordable |
| Tulare, CA | $1,849/mo | 29.3% | affordable |
| Bakersfield, CA | $1,865/mo | 29.6% | affordable |
| Apple Valley, CA | $1,868/mo | 29.6% | affordable |
| Ceres, CA | $1,884/mo | 29.9% | affordable |
| Visalia, CA | $1,909/mo | 30.3% | stretched |
| Citrus Heights, CA | $1,931/mo | 30.6% | stretched |
| Colton, CA | $1,929/mo | 30.6% | stretched |
| Hemet, CA | $1,939/mo | 30.7% | stretched |
| Fresno, CA | $1,954/mo | 31% | stretched |
| Merced, CA | $1,964/mo | 31.1% | stretched |
| Yuba City, CA | $1,967/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Stockton, CA | $1,989/mo | 31.5% | stretched |
| Modesto, CA | $1,986/mo | 31.5% | stretched |
| San Bernardino, CA | $1,994/mo | 31.6% | stretched |
| South Gate, CA | $2,002/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| Lynwood, CA | $2,035/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| Hanford, CA | $2,053/mo | 32.5% | stretched |
| Sacramento, CA | $2,071/mo | 32.8% | stretched |
| Turlock, CA | $2,083/mo | 33% | stretched |
| Yucaipa, CA | $2,095/mo | 33.2% | stretched |
| Florin, CA | $2,111/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Hawthorne, CA | $2,138/mo | 33.9% | stretched |
| Lodi, CA | $2,137/mo | 33.9% | stretched |
| Pico Rivera, CA | $2,169/mo | 34.4% | stretched |
| Vallejo, CA | $2,181/mo | 34.6% | stretched |
| Palm Springs, CA | $2,201/mo | 34.9% | stretched |
| Victorville, CA | $2,227/mo | 35.3% | stretched |
| Hesperia, CA | $2,224/mo | 35.3% | stretched |
| West Sacramento, CA | $2,228/mo | 35.3% | stretched |
| El Cajon, CA | $2,277/mo | 36.1% | stretched |
| Montebello, CA | $2,289/mo | 36.3% | stretched |
| Downey, CA | $2,312/mo | 36.7% | stretched |
| East Los Angeles, CA | $2,319/mo | 36.8% | stretched |
| Clovis, CA | $2,341/mo | 37.1% | stretched |
| Madera, CA | $2,344/mo | 37.2% | stretched |
| Long Beach, CA | $2,364/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Moreno Valley, CA | $2,364/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Gardena, CA | $2,363/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Los Banos, CA | $2,363/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Covina, CA | $2,372/mo | 37.6% | stretched |
| El Monte, CA | $2,381/mo | 37.7% | stretched |
| Antelope, CA | $2,379/mo | 37.7% | stretched |
| Pomona, CA | $2,385/mo | 37.8% | stretched |
| Whittier, CA | $2,388/mo | 37.9% | stretched |
| Cathedral City, CA | $2,390/mo | 37.9% | stretched |
| Pittsburg, CA | $2,396/mo | 38% | stretched |
| Lancaster, CA | $2,403/mo | 38.1% | stretched |
| Rancho Cordova, CA | $2,412/mo | 38.2% | stretched |
| Upland, CA | $2,408/mo | 38.2% | stretched |
| Redlands, CA | $2,418/mo | 38.3% | stretched |
| Riverside, CA | $2,420/mo | 38.4% | stretched |
| Lake Elsinore, CA | $2,436/mo | 38.6% | stretched |
| Fairfield, CA | $2,446/mo | 38.8% | stretched |
| Highland, CA | $2,459/mo | 39% | stretched |
| San Leandro, CA | $2,468/mo | 39.1% | stretched |
| Rocklin, CA | $2,469/mo | 39.1% | stretched |
| Woodland, CA | $2,467/mo | 39.1% | stretched |
| Bellflower, CA | $2,472/mo | 39.2% | stretched |
| National City, CA | $2,472/mo | 39.2% | stretched |
| Salinas, CA | $2,498/mo | 39.6% | stretched |
| Compton, CA | $2,500/mo | 39.6% | stretched |
| Escondido, CA | $2,504/mo | 39.7% | stretched |
| Richmond, CA | $2,509/mo | 39.8% | stretched |
| Santa Maria, CA | $2,520/mo | 39.9% | stretched |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $2,534/mo | 40.2% | rent-burdened |
| Monterey Park, CA | $2,545/mo | 40.3% | rent-burdened |
| Jurupa Valley, CA | $2,556/mo | 40.5% | rent-burdened |
| Vacaville, CA | $2,562/mo | 40.6% | rent-burdened |
| Antioch, CA | $2,575/mo | 40.8% | rent-burdened |
| Concord, CA | $2,584/mo | 41% | rent-burdened |
| Alhambra, CA | $2,592/mo | 41.1% | rent-burdened |
| Baldwin Park, CA | $2,598/mo | 41.2% | rent-burdened |
| Inglewood, CA | $2,605/mo | 41.3% | rent-burdened |
| Buena Park, CA | $2,603/mo | 41.3% | rent-burdened |
| Oakland, CA | $2,614/mo | 41.4% | rent-burdened |
| Murrieta, CA | $2,610/mo | 41.4% | rent-burdened |
| Hayward, CA | $2,615/mo | 41.5% | rent-burdened |
| Indio, CA | $2,616/mo | 41.5% | rent-burdened |
| Manteca, CA | $2,624/mo | 41.6% | rent-burdened |
| Azusa, CA | $2,626/mo | 41.6% | rent-burdened |
| Westminster, CA | $2,629/mo | 41.7% | rent-burdened |
| Ontario, CA | $2,635/mo | 41.8% | rent-burdened |
| Palm Desert, CA | $2,638/mo | 41.8% | rent-burdened |
| Roseville, CA | $2,645/mo | 41.9% | rent-burdened |
| Rohnert Park, CA | $2,649/mo | 42% | rent-burdened |
| Folsom, CA | $2,655/mo | 42.1% | rent-burdened |
| La Mesa, CA | $2,662/mo | 42.2% | rent-burdened |
| Anaheim, CA | $2,674/mo | 42.4% | rent-burdened |
| Garden Grove, CA | $2,679/mo | 42.5% | rent-burdened |
| Corona, CA | $2,682/mo | 42.5% | rent-burdened |
| West Covina, CA | $2,683/mo | 42.5% | rent-burdened |
| Vista, CA | $2,682/mo | 42.5% | rent-burdened |
| Florence-Graham, CA | $2,683/mo | 42.5% | rent-burdened |
| Elk Grove, CA | $2,688/mo | 42.6% | rent-burdened |
| Fountain Valley, CA | $2,698/mo | 42.8% | rent-burdened |
| Daly City, CA | $2,706/mo | 42.9% | rent-burdened |
| Davis, CA | $2,706/mo | 42.9% | rent-burdened |
| Beaumont, CA | $2,705/mo | 42.9% | rent-burdened |
| Palmdale, CA | $2,720/mo | 43.1% | rent-burdened |
| Simi Valley, CA | $2,717/mo | 43.1% | rent-burdened |
| Tracy, CA | $2,717/mo | 43.1% | rent-burdened |
| Paramount, CA | $2,723/mo | 43.2% | rent-burdened |
| Glendale, CA | $2,732/mo | 43.3% | rent-burdened |
| Rialto, CA | $2,740/mo | 43.4% | rent-burdened |
| La Habra, CA | $2,745/mo | 43.5% | rent-burdened |
| Norwalk, CA | $2,757/mo | 43.7% | rent-burdened |
| Castro Valley, CA | $2,767/mo | 43.9% | rent-burdened |
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,773/mo | 44% | rent-burdened |
| Santa Ana, CA | $2,785/mo | 44.1% | rent-burdened |
| Napa, CA | $2,781/mo | 44.1% | rent-burdened |
| Santee, CA | $2,790/mo | 44.2% | rent-burdened |
| San Jacinto, CA | $2,793/mo | 44.3% | rent-burdened |
| Placentia, CA | $2,796/mo | 44.3% | rent-burdened |
| Rowland Heights, CA | $2,799/mo | 44.4% | rent-burdened |
| Santa Clarita, CA | $2,806/mo | 44.5% | rent-burdened |
| Rancho Cucamonga, CA | $2,813/mo | 44.6% | rent-burdened |
| Menifee, CA | $2,824/mo | 44.8% | rent-burdened |
| Perris, CA | $2,833/mo | 44.9% | rent-burdened |
| Rosemead, CA | $2,848/mo | 45.1% | rent-burdened |
| Union City, CA | $2,867/mo | 45.4% | rent-burdened |
| Fullerton, CA | $2,872/mo | 45.5% | rent-burdened |
| Glendora, CA | $2,869/mo | 45.5% | rent-burdened |
| Oxnard, CA | $2,882/mo | 45.7% | rent-burdened |
| Camarillo, CA | $2,885/mo | 45.7% | rent-burdened |
| Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | $2,910/mo | 46.1% | rent-burdened |
| Petaluma, CA | $2,927/mo | 46.4% | rent-burdened |
| Pasadena, CA | $2,939/mo | 46.6% | rent-burdened |
| Berkeley, CA | $2,941/mo | 46.6% | rent-burdened |
| Alameda, CA | $2,948/mo | 46.7% | rent-burdened |
| Temecula, CA | $2,954/mo | 46.8% | rent-burdened |
| Carson, CA | $2,953/mo | 46.8% | rent-burdened |
| Brea, CA | $2,960/mo | 46.9% | rent-burdened |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $2,966/mo | 47% | rent-burdened |
| Oceanside, CA | $2,974/mo | 47.1% | rent-burdened |
| San Rafael, CA | $2,992/mo | 47.4% | rent-burdened |
| Torrance, CA | $2,997/mo | 47.5% | rent-burdened |
| Walnut Creek, CA | $3,003/mo | 47.6% | rent-burdened |
| Chula Vista, CA | $3,008/mo | 47.7% | rent-burdened |
| Chino Hills, CA | $3,010/mo | 47.7% | rent-burdened |
| La Mirada, CA | $3,036/mo | 48.1% | rent-burdened |
| San Diego, CA | $3,038/mo | 48.2% | rent-burdened |
| Fontana, CA | $3,042/mo | 48.2% | rent-burdened |
| Huntington Beach, CA | $3,078/mo | 48.8% | rent-burdened |
| Livermore, CA | $3,082/mo | 48.9% | rent-burdened |
| Gilroy, CA | $3,082/mo | 48.9% | rent-burdened |
| Poway, CA | $3,103/mo | 49.2% | rent-burdened |
| Costa Mesa, CA | $3,113/mo | 49.3% | rent-burdened |
| Cypress, CA | $3,132/mo | 49.7% | rent-burdened |
| Tustin, CA | $3,151/mo | 50% | rent-burdened |
| El Dorado Hills, CA | $3,156/mo | 50% | severely rent-burdened |
| Orange, CA | $3,181/mo | 50.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Pleasanton, CA | $3,180/mo | 50.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Dublin, CA | $3,233/mo | 51.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Marcos, CA | $3,258/mo | 51.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hacienda Heights, CA | $3,254/mo | 51.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Watsonville, CA | $3,257/mo | 51.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | $3,274/mo | 51.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Laguna Niguel, CA | $3,289/mo | 52.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lake Forest, CA | $3,299/mo | 52.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Diamond Bar, CA | $3,301/mo | 52.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fremont, CA | $3,308/mo | 52.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Arcadia, CA | $3,325/mo | 52.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Ramon, CA | $3,352/mo | 53.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Brentwood, CA | $3,365/mo | 53.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Newark, CA | $3,371/mo | 53.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Oakley, CA | $3,369/mo | 53.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Irvine, CA | $3,390/mo | 53.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Chino, CA | $3,388/mo | 53.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lakewood, CA | $3,430/mo | 54.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Clemente, CA | $3,442/mo | 54.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Jose, CA | $3,479/mo | 55.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Monica, CA | $3,517/mo | 55.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Redondo Beach, CA | $3,543/mo | 56.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Carlsbad, CA | $3,560/mo | 56.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Eastvale, CA | $3,567/mo | 56.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Aliso Viejo, CA | $3,594/mo | 57% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cerritos, CA | $3,600/mo | 57.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $3,649/mo | 57.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Mateo, CA | $3,667/mo | 58.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Milpitas, CA | $3,676/mo | 58.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Morgan Hill, CA | $3,772/mo | 59.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $3,821/mo | 60.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Novato, CA | $3,857/mo | 61.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Clara, CA | $3,890/mo | 61.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Redwood City, CA | $3,949/mo | 62.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Barbara, CA | $3,967/mo | 62.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Yorba Linda, CA | $4,083/mo | 64.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| South San Francisco, CA | $4,084/mo | 64.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cupertino, CA | $4,267/mo | 67.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Newport Beach, CA | $4,285/mo | 67.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Palo Alto, CA | $4,299/mo | 68.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Mountain View, CA | $4,334/mo | 68.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Francisco, CA | $4,401/mo | 69.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Encinitas, CA | $4,498/mo | 71.3% | severely rent-burdened |