ZIP 90038
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
April. Asking rents in ZIP 90038 usually run 0.6% below trend in April and 0.5% above it in August, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 90038 is 0.4% below its high of $2,674 in July 2026, at $2,664 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 90038 changed +0.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 90038 rose 9.3% while median household income rose 30.4% ($47,116 to $61,454). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 90038 is 9.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($61,454) is $1,536 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($2,130).
44th cheapest of 96 ZIP codes in Los Angeles.
ZIP 90004, 1 mile away, rents for 12% less ($2,332/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 90038. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 90038 (Los Angeles, CA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 41.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 90038 in Los Angeles, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in ZIP 90038 in Los Angeles, CA has increased 15.3% since 2021, going from about $2,311 per month to roughly $2,664 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $51,096 in 2021 to $61,454 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 5.0 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 27,995 to 27,127 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.1% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 37% to 41.1%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 90038 in Los Angeles, CA market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 90038
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 90038 covers Los Angeles, CA. The median rent here is $2,664/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,380/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,970/mo.
At 52% of local median household income ($61,454/yr), ZIP 90038 ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 90038 compare to other ZIPs in California?
How does ZIP 90038 compare to the rest of Los Angeles?
At $2,664/mo, rent takes ~52% of ZIP 90038's median household income ($61,454/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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