ZIP Code · CA

ZIP 92021

Part of El Cajon, CA

Pop. 70,501·San Diego County·752nd most expensive ZIP in California

Median rent (all units)

$2,191/mo

Year-over-Year

+0.4%

Month-over-Month

+0.6%

vs US Median

+$259

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 92021 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 92021 · $2,191

More expensive than 70% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,970

1 BR

$2,120

2 BR

$2,590

3 BR

$3,450

4 BR+

$4,180

Research median

$2,590/mo

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

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 92021 is 0.6% below its high of $2,205 in December 2024, at $2,191 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of California

Rent in ZIP 92021 changed +0.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.2%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($74,013) is $1,850 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,970).

Rank in El Cajon

2nd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in El Cajon.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 92021. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$26,292/yr

At $2,191/mo median

Location

CityEl Cajon

StateCA

CountySan Diego 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 (+0.4% YoY, +0.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 92021 (El Cajon, CA) is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large share of families with children, 22.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

70,501

Median income

$74,013

Median age

36.3

Renters

46.2%

Age distribution

25.8%

22%

24.6%

12.2%

15.4%

Under 1825.8%

18–3422%

35–5424.6%

55–6412.2%

65+15.4%

Gender

48.1%

51.9%

Male48.1%

Female51.9%

Race & ethnicity

56.8%

31.2%

White56.8%

Black6%

Hispanic31.2%

Asian5.1%

Other1%

Education (25+)

14.1%

28.5%

35%

22.4%

No HS diploma14.1%

HS diploma28.5%

Some college35%

Bachelor's+22.4%

Housing tenure

53.8%

46.2%

Owner53.8%

Renter46.2%

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

2022 vs 2026

How ZIP 92021 in El Cajon, CA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,890 → $2,191

up 15.9%

Income

$63,395 → $74,013

up 16.7%

Population

71,006 → 70,501

down 0.7%

Renter share

47.9% → 46.2%

-1.7 pts

Bachelor's+

20.9% → 22.4%

+1.5 pts

Median age

35.2 → 36.3

+1.1 yrs

Since 2022, the typical rent in ZIP 92021 in El Cajon, CA has increased from $1,890 to $2,191, a 15.9% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $63,395 to $74,013 across the same window, up 16.7% versus 2021. Renters now make up 46.2% of households, compared with 47.9% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 92021 in El Cajon, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 92021

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 92021

About renting in ZIP 92021

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 92021 covers El Cajon, CA. The median rent here is $2,191/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,120/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,590/mo.

At 36% of local median household income ($74,013/yr), ZIP 92021 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.4% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 92021?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $88,000/year (about $42/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,191/mo in ZIP 92021. The local median household income is $74,013/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 92021?

Rent in ZIP 92021 has been roughly flat over the past year as of September 2026, a +0.4% change. It sits 0.6% below its high of $2,205 in December 2024.

How does ZIP 92021 compare to other ZIPs in California?

ZIP 92021 is one of the more affordable among California ZIP codes for rent, ranking #752 of 898 at $2,191/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 92021 changed +0.4%, against a typical +3.2% across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks.