ZIP Code · CA

ZIP 95138

Part of San jose, CA

Pop. 18,960·Santa Clara County·82nd most expensive ZIP in California

Median rent (all units)

$4,149/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+0.6%

vs US Median

+$2,217

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 95138 · $4,149

More expensive than 98% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$2,600

1 BR

$2,960

2 BR

$3,460

3 BR

$4,570

4 BR+

$4,980

Research median

$3,460/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: September 25, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($204,476) is $5,112 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($4,980).

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 95123, 5 miles away, rents for 16% less ($3,503/mo), about $7,800 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 95138. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$49,788/yr

At $4,149/mo median

Location

CitySan jose

StateCA

CountySanta Clara 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, +0.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 95138 (San jose, CA) is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 55.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

18,960

Median income

$204,476

Median age

38.9

Renters

19.1%

Age distribution

24.5%

19.2%

31.1%

13.3%

Under 1824.5%

18–3419.2%

35–5431.1%

55–6413.3%

65+11.9%

Gender

51.6%

48.4%

Male51.6%

Female48.4%

Race & ethnicity

18.4%

25.4%

48.8%

White18.4%

Black4.7%

Hispanic25.4%

Asian48.8%

Other2.8%

Education (25+)

13.7%

22.8%

55.2%

No HS diploma8.3%

HS diploma13.7%

Some college22.8%

Bachelor's+55.2%

Housing tenure

80.9%

19.1%

Owner80.9%

Renter19.1%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 95138 in San jose, CA has changed in 5 years

Income

$172,434 → $204,476

up 18.6%

Population

19,827 → 18,960

down 4.4%

Renter share

13.5% → 19.1%

+5.6 pts

Bachelor's+

53.4% → 55.2%

+1.8 pts

Median age

38.4 → 38.9

+0.5 yrs

Household income in the area moved from $172,434 to $204,476 across the same window, up 18.6% versus 2021. The population has contracted by 4.4% since 2021, moving from about 19,827 residents to roughly 18,960. Renters now make up 19.1% of households, compared with 13.5% five years ago.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 95138

Last updated: September 25, 2026

ZIP code 95138 covers San jose, CA. The median rent here is $4,149/mo as of September 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,960/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,460/mo.

At 24% of local median household income ($204,476/yr), ZIP 95138 ranks as affordable 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 95138?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $166,000/year (about $80/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $4,149/mo in ZIP 95138. The local median household income is $204,476/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.