FMRFinder

California fair market rent by county

California · FY2027 · 58 listed places · 51 HUD FMR areas

$1,725median 2BR

From $1,084 in Modoc County to $4,254 in Santa Cruz County

FY2026 → FY2027: median +0.3% · 30 up, 28 down · largest San Joaquin County +15.7% · all states

Unweighted median of the listed county, county-equivalent and town 2-bedroom FMRs; places sharing a HUD FMR area have the same value. This is not a statewide estimate of rents paid. U.S. county median $1,056. Effective October 1, 2026.

Income needed to afford it

At HUD's affordability benchmark — rent and utilities at no more than 30% of income — a 2-bedroom at the Fair Market Rent takes about $170,160 a year in Santa Cruz County and $43,360 in Modoc County.

UnitMedian FMRIncome neededPer hour
Studio$1,294$51,760$24.88
1 bedroom$1,372$54,880$26.38
2 bedrooms$1,725$69,000$33.17
3 bedrooms$2,332$93,280$44.85
4 bedrooms$2,734$109,360$52.58

Income needed = monthly FMR × 12 ÷ 0.30. Per hour = that ÷ 2,080 hours (one full-time job). Medians are across the listed California places, like the figure above. The FMR is HUD's 40th-percentile gross rent estimate, not the price of any listing.

Highest 2-bedroom first