ZIP 94542
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Rent by unit size
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 94542 usually run 1.3% below trend in December and 1.6% above it in August, about $74 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 94542 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2018.
Rent in ZIP 94542 changed +6.7% 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 94542 rose 18.4% while median household income rose 10.2% ($121,354 to $133,734). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 94542 is 19% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($133,734) is $3,343 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,150); a 3-bedroom is $4,030.
1st cheapest of 4 ZIP codes in Hayward.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 94542. 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 94542 (Hayward, CA) is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 48.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 94542 in Hayward, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 94542 in Hayward, CA paid around $2,124 a month. That figure now sits near $2,535, up 19.4% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $121,563 to $133,734 between 2021 and 2024, a 10.0% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 94542 in Hayward, CA losing about 1,834 residents over the five-year window, down 11.0% on net. The renter share has eased from 29.3% to 27.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 94542 in Hayward, 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.
Discussions about ZIP 94542
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Tips for renters in ZIP 94542
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 94542 covers Hayward, CA. The median rent here is $2,535/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,580/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,150/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($133,734/yr), ZIP 94542 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 94542?
Is rent going up or down in ZIP 94542?
When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 94542?
Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 94542?
How does ZIP 94542 compare to other ZIPs in California?
How does ZIP 94542 compare to the rest of Hayward?
At $2,535/mo, rent takes ~23% of ZIP 94542's median household income ($133,734/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Be the first to submit your rent for this ZIP.
No discussions yet.