ZIP 92009
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 92009 usually run 1.6% below trend in December and 1.1% above it in August, about $99 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 92009 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in ZIP 92009 changed +6.1% 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 92009 rose 45.5% while median household income rose 18.9% ($138,078 to $164,182). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 92009 is 56.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($164,182) is $4,105 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,970); a 3-bedroom is $5,290.
3rd cheapest of 4 ZIP codes in Carlsbad.
ZIP 92081, 5 miles away, rents for 24% less ($2,801/mo), about $10,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 92009. 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 92009 (Carlsbad, CA) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 65.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 92009 in Carlsbad, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 92009 in Carlsbad, CA paid around $2,546 a month. That figure now sits near $3,662, up 43.8% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $149,820 in 2021 to $164,182 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 92009 in Carlsbad, CA losing about 1,883 residents over the five-year window, down 4.0% on net. The renter share has eased from 30.3% to 27.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 63% to 65.9% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 92009 in Carlsbad, CA market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 92009
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 92009 covers Carlsbad, CA. The median rent here is $3,662/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $3,250/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,970/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($164,182/yr), ZIP 92009 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 92009 compare to the rest of Carlsbad?
At $3,662/mo, rent takes ~27% of ZIP 92009's median household income ($164,182/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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