ZIP Code · CA

ZIP 90502

Part of West Carson, CA

Pop. 18,467·Los Angeles County·268th most expensive ZIP in California

Median rent (all units)

$3,224/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+0.7%

vs US Median

+$1,292

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 90502 · $3,224

More expensive than 93% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,830

1 BR

$2,050

2 BR

$2,560

3 BR

$3,250

4 BR+

$3,610

Research median

$2,560/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($94,291) is $2,357 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,050); a 2-bedroom is $2,560.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 90501, 1 mile away, rents for 17% less ($2,662/mo), about $6,700 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 90502. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$38,688/yr

At $3,224/mo median

Location

CityWest Carson

StateCA

CountyLos Angeles County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +0.7% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 90502 (West Carson, CA) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 37.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

18,467

Median income

$94,291

Median age

42.5

Renters

32%

Age distribution

17.7%

22.8%

25.6%

12.5%

21.3%

Under 1817.7%

18–3422.8%

35–5425.6%

55–6412.5%

65+21.3%

Gender

48%

52%

Male48%

Female52%

Race & ethnicity

20.6%

39.3%

37.6%

White20.6%

Black6.5%

Hispanic39.3%

Asian37.6%

Education (25+)

15.1%

22.8%

24.4%

37.8%

No HS diploma15.1%

HS diploma22.8%

Some college24.4%

Bachelor's+37.8%

Housing tenure

68%

32%

Owner68%

Renter32%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 90502 in West Carson, CA has changed in 5 years

Income

$89,206 → $94,291

up 5.7%

Population

18,110 → 18,467

up 2.0%

Renter share

32.5% → 32%

-0.5 pts

Bachelor's+

32.8% → 37.8%

+5.0 pts

Census figures show median household income at $94,291 today, compared with $89,206 five years earlier. Headcount in the area went from 18,110 to 18,467 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.0% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 32.8% to 37.8%.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 90502

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 90502 covers West Carson, CA. The median rent here is $3,224/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,050/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,560/mo.

At 41% of local median household income ($94,291/yr), ZIP 90502 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 90502?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $129,000/year (about $62/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $3,224/mo in ZIP 90502. The local median household income is $94,291/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.