Average Rent in Los Angeles, CA↑ Rents rising 2.1% YoY🔺 8th priciest in CA

Los Angeles, CA has rental prices ranging from $2,151/month to $4,208/month in 2027, depending on unit size. The typical 1-bedroom apartment rents for $2,402/month — 72% above the national average of $1,400/month. With a median household income of $93,525/year, spending $2,402/month on a 1-bedroom represents 31% of gross income — at the boundary of affordability.

How Los Angeles Compares

With an average 2-bedroom rent of $2,964/month, Los Angeles ranks #8 most expensive of the 52 cities tracked in California — pricier than 100% of all US cities in our data.

The Los Angeles Rental Market

The Los Angeles, CA area has a population of about 13,012,469 and 51% of households renting rather than owning. That renter share runs above the US average of ~34%, pointing to a competitive rental market where vacancies clear quickly and rents are less negotiable.

Rent Trends

2-bedroom rents in Los Angeles, CA have risen by $61/month (2.1%) over the past year, from $2,903 to $2,964. This modest growth is consistent with broader inflationary trends seen across US rental markets.

Affordability

To afford a 1-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, CA without exceeding the 30% housing cost guideline, a renter needs an annual income of approximately $96,080. The local median household income of $93,525 falls $2,555 short of that threshold, meaning many residents in Los Angeles are housing cost-burdened by conventional measures.

Rent vs. Buy

The median home value in Los Angeles, CA is $927,891, giving a price-to-rent ratio of 26.1. With a break-even horizon of approximately 26 years, renting is likely the more financially prudent option for most residents unless they plan to stay long-term.

Economy & Jobs

Los Angeles, CA has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, 0.5 percentage points above the national average of 3.9%. A higher unemployment rate can moderate rental demand over time, which may help keep rent growth in check compared to tighter job markets.

Safety

Crime statistics for Los Angeles, CA show a violent crime rate of 526.72 per 100,000 residents (elevated) and a property crime rate of 2373.08 per 100,000 residents (moderate). As with any metro area, crime rates vary widely by neighborhood — prospective renters are encouraged to research specific areas within Los Angeles before signing a lease.

Neighborhoods

Home values — and by extension rent levels — vary significantly across Los Angeles's neighborhoods. Among the highest-value areas are MacArthur Park ($467,916 median home value), Downtown ($548,965 median home value), Rampart Village ($558,540 median home value). Rental prices typically follow home value patterns, with premium neighborhoods commanding higher rents than outer areas. Renters on a tighter budget may find better value in less central neighborhoods or in adjacent metros with lower overall rent levels.

Is Los Angeles, CA Affordable?

Income needed to rent or buy, price history, and how this city compares to nearby metros.

Rent or Buy in Los Angeles?

Break-even analysis and mortgage estimates based on local market data.

Living in Los Angeles

Cost of living, job market, crime rates, and moving cost estimates.