ZIP Code · CA

ZIP 92081

Part of Vista, CA

Pop. 29,002·San Diego County·448th most expensive ZIP in California

Median rent (all units)

$2,801/mo

Year-over-Year

+1.5%

Month-over-Month

-0.4%

vs US Median

+$869

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 92081 · $2,801

More expensive than 87% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$2,580

1 BR

$2,770

2 BR

$3,380

3 BR

$4,500

4 BR+

$5,460

Research median

$3,380/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

Cheapest month to sign

February. Asking rents in ZIP 92081 usually run 0.8% below trend in February and 0.7% above it in August, about $42 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 92081 is 0.4% below its high of $2,813 in August 2026, at $2,801 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of California

Rent in ZIP 92081 changed +1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.2%.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 92081 is 48% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($105,379) is $2,634 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($2,580); a 1-bedroom is $2,770.

Rank in Vista

3rd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Vista.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 92081. 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.

Annual cost

$33,612/yr

At $2,801/mo median

Location

CityVista

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 (+1.5% YoY, -0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 92081 (Vista, CA) is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 42.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

29,002

Median income

$105,379

Median age

38.5

Renters

45.5%

Age distribution

23%

20.6%

29.9%

16.6%

Under 1823%

18–3420.6%

35–5429.9%

55–6410%

65+16.6%

Gender

51.9%

48.1%

Male51.9%

Female48.1%

Race & ethnicity

57.1%

28.8%

White57.1%

Black4.2%

Hispanic28.8%

Asian8.6%

Other1.3%

Education (25+)

17.4%

32.6%

42.3%

No HS diploma7.7%

HS diploma17.4%

Some college32.6%

Bachelor's+42.3%

Housing tenure

54.5%

45.5%

Owner54.5%

Renter45.5%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 92081 in Vista, CA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$2,015 → $2,801

up 39.0%

Income

$90,621 → $105,379

up 16.3%

Population

29,944 → 29,002

down 3.1%

Renter share

48.9% → 45.5%

-3.4 pts

Bachelor's+

36.3% → 42.3%

+6.0 pts

Median age

37.2 → 38.5

+1.3 yrs

Rent in ZIP 92081 in Vista, CA has climbed 39.0% since 2021, going from about $2,015 per month to roughly $2,801 today. Median household income grew from $90,621 to $105,379 between 2021 and 2024, a 16.3% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 22.7 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 29,944 to 29,002 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.1% change. About 45.5% of households rent today, against 48.9% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 36.3% to 42.3%. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 92081 in Vista, CA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 92081

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 92081 covers Vista, CA. The median rent here is $2,801/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,770/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,380/mo.

At 32% of local median household income ($105,379/yr), ZIP 92081 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 92081?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $112,000/year (about $54/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,801/mo in ZIP 92081. The local median household income is $105,379/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 92081?

Rent in ZIP 92081 has risen 1.5% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.4% below its high of $2,813 in August 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 92081?

Asking rents in ZIP 92081 are usually lowest in February, about 0.8% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 0.7% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $42 a month. This pattern comes from 6 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 92081 compare to other ZIPs in California?

ZIP 92081 is in the middle among California ZIP codes for rent, ranking #448 of 898 at $2,801/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 92081 changed +1.5%, against a typical +3.2% across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks.