ZIP 90403
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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
December. Asking rents in ZIP 90403 usually run 0.4% below trend in December and 0.4% above it in April, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 90403 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2016.
Rent in ZIP 90403 changed +1.2% 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 90403 rose 13.5% while median household income rose 13.5% ($107,420 to $121,925). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 90403 is 17.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($121,925) is $3,048 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,940); a 2-bedroom is $3,670.
3rd cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Santa Monica.
ZIP 90025, 3 miles away, rents for 12% less ($3,216/mo), about $5,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 90403. 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 90403 (Santa Monica, CA) is majority renter-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 75.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 90403 in Santa Monica, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 90403 in Santa Monica, CA paid around $2,950 a month. That figure now sits near $3,655, up 23.9% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $113,204 in 2021 to $121,925 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 90403 in Santa Monica, CA losing about 658 residents over the five-year window, down 2.7% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 71.7% to 75.7% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 90403 in Santa Monica, CA market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 90403
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 90403 covers Santa Monica, CA. The median rent here is $3,655/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,940/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,670/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($121,925/yr), ZIP 90403 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 90403 compare to the rest of Santa Monica?
At $3,655/mo, rent takes ~36% of ZIP 90403's median household income ($121,925/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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