Rent Affordability for A Waiter or Waitress in California
A typical waiter or waitress in California earns about $43,105 a year, which supports approximately $1,078 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. 0 of 200 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 200 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porterville, CA | $1,475/mo | 41.1% | rent-burdened |
| Chico, CA | $1,561/mo | 43.5% | rent-burdened |
| El Centro, CA | $1,573/mo | 43.8% | rent-burdened |
| Redding, CA | $1,647/mo | 45.9% | rent-burdened |
| Carmichael, CA | $1,757/mo | 48.9% | rent-burdened |
| Huntington Park, CA | $1,768/mo | 49.2% | rent-burdened |
| Tulare, CA | $1,792/mo | 49.9% | rent-burdened |
| Visalia, CA | $1,839/mo | 51.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hemet, CA | $1,839/mo | 51.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Citrus Heights, CA | $1,883/mo | 52.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Bakersfield, CA | $1,901/mo | 52.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Apple Valley, CA | $1,899/mo | 52.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Colton, CA | $1,929/mo | 53.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fresno, CA | $1,945/mo | 54.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Ceres, CA | $1,960/mo | 54.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Bernardino, CA | $1,971/mo | 54.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Yuba City, CA | $1,993/mo | 55.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hanford, CA | $2,008/mo | 55.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Modesto, CA | $2,022/mo | 56.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Florin, CA | $2,024/mo | 56.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Stockton, CA | $2,032/mo | 56.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Merced, CA | $2,041/mo | 56.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Sacramento, CA | $2,045/mo | 56.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lynwood, CA | $2,045/mo | 56.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Turlock, CA | $2,064/mo | 57.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Palm Springs, CA | $2,067/mo | 57.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| East Los Angeles, CA | $2,125/mo | 59.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hawthorne, CA | $2,151/mo | 59.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Madera, CA | $2,162/mo | 60.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Vallejo, CA | $2,200/mo | 61.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Yucaipa, CA | $2,199/mo | 61.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Bellflower, CA | $2,221/mo | 61.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hesperia, CA | $2,237/mo | 62.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Victorville, CA | $2,248/mo | 62.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Downey, CA | $2,257/mo | 62.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| El Cajon, CA | $2,259/mo | 62.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| West Sacramento, CA | $2,263/mo | 63% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lodi, CA | $2,278/mo | 63.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Woodland, CA | $2,287/mo | 63.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| South Gate, CA | $2,291/mo | 63.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Pico Rivera, CA | $2,291/mo | 63.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Compton, CA | $2,315/mo | 64.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Indio, CA | $2,316/mo | 64.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Pomona, CA | $2,319/mo | 64.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Gardena, CA | $2,334/mo | 65% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cathedral City, CA | $2,343/mo | 65.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lake Elsinore, CA | $2,348/mo | 65.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Los Banos, CA | $2,354/mo | 65.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Jacinto, CA | $2,366/mo | 65.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Clovis, CA | $2,381/mo | 66.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Antelope, CA | $2,389/mo | 66.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Upland, CA | $2,392/mo | 66.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Davis, CA | $2,394/mo | 66.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Redlands, CA | $2,398/mo | 66.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Whittier, CA | $2,402/mo | 66.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rocklin, CA | $2,408/mo | 67% | severely rent-burdened |
| Long Beach, CA | $2,412/mo | 67.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Moreno Valley, CA | $2,412/mo | 67.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rancho Cordova, CA | $2,412/mo | 67.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rowland Heights, CA | $2,421/mo | 67.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fairfield, CA | $2,425/mo | 67.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| National City, CA | $2,426/mo | 67.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Riverside, CA | $2,427/mo | 67.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Pittsburg, CA | $2,429/mo | 67.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| El Monte, CA | $2,451/mo | 68.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lancaster, CA | $2,460/mo | 68.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Inglewood, CA | $2,487/mo | 69.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Maria, CA | $2,509/mo | 69.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Leandro, CA | $2,517/mo | 70.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Roseville, CA | $2,521/mo | 70.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Salinas, CA | $2,530/mo | 70.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Manteca, CA | $2,530/mo | 70.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Azusa, CA | $2,532/mo | 70.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rohnert Park, CA | $2,533/mo | 70.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Richmond, CA | $2,538/mo | 70.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| West Covina, CA | $2,552/mo | 71% | severely rent-burdened |
| Concord, CA | $2,569/mo | 71.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Ontario, CA | $2,580/mo | 71.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $2,582/mo | 71.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Escondido, CA | $2,590/mo | 72.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Buena Park, CA | $2,590/mo | 72.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Covina, CA | $2,598/mo | 72.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Vacaville, CA | $2,627/mo | 73.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| La Mesa, CA | $2,627/mo | 73.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Highland, CA | $2,630/mo | 73.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Monterey Park, CA | $2,638/mo | 73.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Alhambra, CA | $2,645/mo | 73.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hayward, CA | $2,652/mo | 73.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Murrieta, CA | $2,650/mo | 73.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Corona, CA | $2,661/mo | 74.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Norwalk, CA | $2,662/mo | 74.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Folsom, CA | $2,667/mo | 74.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rialto, CA | $2,675/mo | 74.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Elk Grove, CA | $2,688/mo | 74.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Florence-Graham, CA | $2,691/mo | 74.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Garden Grove, CA | $2,703/mo | 75.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Jurupa Valley, CA | $2,727/mo | 75.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Vista, CA | $2,726/mo | 75.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Tracy, CA | $2,742/mo | 76.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Palm Desert, CA | $2,749/mo | 76.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| La Habra, CA | $2,753/mo | 76.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Anaheim, CA | $2,755/mo | 76.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rosemead, CA | $2,755/mo | 76.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Oakland, CA | $2,758/mo | 76.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Glendale, CA | $2,765/mo | 77% | severely rent-burdened |
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,772/mo | 77.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Simi Valley, CA | $2,778/mo | 77.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Palmdale, CA | $2,780/mo | 77.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Clarita, CA | $2,783/mo | 77.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rancho Cucamonga, CA | $2,786/mo | 77.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Paramount, CA | $2,806/mo | 78.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Antioch, CA | $2,814/mo | 78.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Napa, CA | $2,815/mo | 78.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Ana, CA | $2,820/mo | 78.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santee, CA | $2,829/mo | 78.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Montebello, CA | $2,837/mo | 79% | severely rent-burdened |
| Perris, CA | $2,846/mo | 79.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | $2,849/mo | 79.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Berkeley, CA | $2,853/mo | 79.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Westminster, CA | $2,851/mo | 79.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Petaluma, CA | $2,869/mo | 79.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Alameda, CA | $2,876/mo | 80.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Beaumont, CA | $2,880/mo | 80.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Placentia, CA | $2,882/mo | 80.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fullerton, CA | $2,888/mo | 80.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Oxnard, CA | $2,894/mo | 80.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Oceanside, CA | $2,910/mo | 81% | severely rent-burdened |
| Carson, CA | $2,909/mo | 81% | severely rent-burdened |
| Camarillo, CA | $2,911/mo | 81% | severely rent-burdened |
| Union City, CA | $2,913/mo | 81.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Brea, CA | $2,916/mo | 81.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Walnut Creek, CA | $2,924/mo | 81.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Chula Vista, CA | $2,935/mo | 81.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Temecula, CA | $2,946/mo | 82% | severely rent-burdened |
| Menifee, CA | $2,945/mo | 82% | severely rent-burdened |
| Glendora, CA | $2,950/mo | 82.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Baldwin Park, CA | $2,959/mo | 82.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $2,968/mo | 82.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fountain Valley, CA | $2,998/mo | 83.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Diego, CA | $3,004/mo | 83.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Torrance, CA | $3,006/mo | 83.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Pasadena, CA | $3,010/mo | 83.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Castro Valley, CA | $3,011/mo | 83.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cypress, CA | $3,015/mo | 83.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Orange, CA | $3,037/mo | 84.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Daly City, CA | $3,046/mo | 84.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Livermore, CA | $3,066/mo | 85.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| El Dorado Hills, CA | $3,070/mo | 85.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Chino Hills, CA | $3,085/mo | 85.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Gilroy, CA | $3,099/mo | 86.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Huntington Beach, CA | $3,105/mo | 86.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Costa Mesa, CA | $3,121/mo | 86.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Ramon, CA | $3,121/mo | 86.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lake Forest, CA | $3,166/mo | 88.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Rafael, CA | $3,166/mo | 88.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Pleasanton, CA | $3,175/mo | 88.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fontana, CA | $3,191/mo | 88.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| La Mirada, CA | $3,191/mo | 88.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Tustin, CA | $3,229/mo | 89.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Chino, CA | $3,286/mo | 91.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Diamond Bar, CA | $3,294/mo | 91.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Oakley, CA | $3,294/mo | 91.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Marcos, CA | $3,311/mo | 92.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Dublin, CA | $3,325/mo | 92.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Poway, CA | $3,325/mo | 92.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Watsonville, CA | $3,332/mo | 92.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Laguna Niguel, CA | $3,343/mo | 93.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | $3,357/mo | 93.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cerritos, CA | $3,385/mo | 94.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Fremont, CA | $3,388/mo | 94.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Lakewood, CA | $3,401/mo | 94.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Clemente, CA | $3,411/mo | 95% | severely rent-burdened |
| Arcadia, CA | $3,412/mo | 95% | severely rent-burdened |
| Brentwood, CA | $3,420/mo | 95.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $3,418/mo | 95.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Redondo Beach, CA | $3,483/mo | 97% | severely rent-burdened |
| Aliso Viejo, CA | $3,484/mo | 97% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Monica, CA | $3,516/mo | 97.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Carlsbad, CA | $3,531/mo | 98.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Hacienda Heights, CA | $3,538/mo | 98.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Jose, CA | $3,582/mo | 99.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Irvine, CA | $3,604/mo | 100.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Milpitas, CA | $3,614/mo | 100.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Barbara, CA | $3,642/mo | 101.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Eastvale, CA | $3,659/mo | 101.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Newark, CA | $3,670/mo | 102.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Morgan Hill, CA | $3,797/mo | 105.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Yorba Linda, CA | $3,870/mo | 107.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Santa Clara, CA | $3,958/mo | 110.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Mateo, CA | $3,968/mo | 110.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Novato, CA | $3,969/mo | 110.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $3,972/mo | 110.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| South San Francisco, CA | $4,141/mo | 115.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Redwood City, CA | $4,301/mo | 119.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cupertino, CA | $4,307/mo | 119.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Encinitas, CA | $4,340/mo | 120.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Newport Beach, CA | $4,364/mo | 121.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Mountain View, CA | $4,535/mo | 126.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Palo Alto, CA | $4,558/mo | 126.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| San Francisco, CA | $4,784/mo | 133.2% | severely rent-burdened |