San Francisco Bay Area rent data
SF-Area Rents Doubled Since 2006. Rent Control Allowed 40%.
The government's rent index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area rose 99.6% from August 2006 to August 2026. Over the same years, San Francisco's rent control caps allowed a total of 40.2%. Since 2016 the gap is 34.0% against 21.3%. This year the cap is 1.6%, and the index rose 2.6% in the last 12 months.
The BLS index measures rents paid by all renters in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, including tenants in rent-controlled units. It is not a measure of new listings. When a rent-controlled tenant moves out, state law usually lets the landlord reset the rent for the next tenant, so long-term tenants and new listings can be far apart. The calculators below show that gap for your own rent.
Forty years of rents and caps
Rents vs what rent control allowed
Both start at 100 in August 2006. A rent that rose by every San Francisco cap would be at 140.2; the SF-area rent index is at 199.6.
| Year | SF-area rents (index) | Rent under SF caps (index) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| 2007 | 104.0 | 101.5 |
| 2008 | 108.7 | 103.5 |
| 2009 | 111.7 | 105.8 |
| 2010 | 111.2 | 105.9 |
| 2011 | 114.3 | 106.4 |
| 2012 | 119.1 | 108.5 |
| 2013 | 124.6 | 110.5 |
| 2014 | 131.8 | 111.6 |
| 2015 | 139.4 | 113.8 |
| 2016 | 149.0 | 115.6 |
| 2017 | 156.8 | 118.1 |
| 2018 | 165.6 | 120.0 |
| 2019 | 170.1 | 123.1 |
| 2020 | 174.2 | 125.3 |
| 2021 | 174.9 | 126.2 |
| 2022 | 178.2 | 129.1 |
| 2023 | 187.5 | 133.8 |
| 2024 | 190.2 | 136.0 |
| 2025 | 194.5 | 137.9 |
| 2026 | 199.6 | 140.2 |
Sources: BLS CPI-U Rent of primary residence, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (August of each year); San Francisco Rent Board Form 571. The BLS index measures rents paid by all renters in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, including tenants in rent-controlled units. It is not a measure of new listings.
Each year's cap vs that year's rent change
The SF-area rent index rose faster than San Francisco's cap in 31 of the 44 years from 1983 to 2026.
| Year | SF allowable increase | SF-area rent change (BLS) |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 7.0% | 9.5% |
| 1984 | 4.0% | 8.5% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | 8.1% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | 8.6% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| 1988 | 4.0% | 4.3% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | 3.6% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | 5.3% |
| 1991 | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| 1992 | 4.0% | 1.8% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | 2.9% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | 2.6% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | 2.9% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | 6.3% |
| 1998 | 2.2% | 8.1% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | 6.9% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | 6.5% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | 11.7% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | 1.8% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | 4.0% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | 4.5% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | 2.8% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | 2.8% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | 4.2% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | 4.6% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | 5.8% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | 5.8% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | 6.9% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | 5.2% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | 5.6% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | 2.2% |
| 2026 | 1.6% | 2.6% |
Rent change is August to August in the BLS index. The cap is the increase allowed from March 1 of that year. 1992 shows 4.0%, the higher of that year's two Rent Board periods.
How much can your rent go up this year?
San Francisco allows 1.6% from March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 for rent-controlled units. Other Bay Area cities set their own caps, and the state cap covers many other rentals.
San Francisco rent control: up to 1.6% = $48 more a month, a new rent of $3,048.
A maximum, not a requirement: many landlords raise less. Once in 12 months. Banked increases from earlier years, capital improvement passthroughs and some exemptions can change your number. Not legal advice; confirm with your city's rent program. Not sure your unit is covered? Check here.
Local rent caps across the Bay Area in 2026
For covered units in cities with local rent control. Where only the state law applies, the cap is 8.8% (SF-area counties) or 8.6% (other counties) for increases from August 1, 2026.
| City | Allowable increase | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 1% | 2026 |
| Richmond | 1.5% | Sept 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 |
| San Francisco | 1.6% | Mar 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 |
| East Palo Alto | 2% | Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 |
| Antioch | 2.04% | Sept 14 to Nov 10, 2026 (recalculated every 1 to 2 months) |
| Oakland | 2.3% | Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 |
| Mountain View | 2.5% | Sept 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 |
| Alameda | 2.7% | Sept 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 |
| Concord | 5% | As of Aug 1, 2025 |
| Hayward | 5% | Once in 12 months |
| San Jose | 5% | Once in 12 months |
Each figure comes from the city's own site or the California Attorney General, checked October 1, 2026. Antioch recalculates every 1 to 2 months; Concord, Hayward and San Jose allow up to 5% once in 12 months.
What is your San Francisco rent control worth?
Pick the year you moved in and your starting rent. The calculator applies every San Francisco cap since then and compares the result with what new listings in your neighborhood ask today.
- Highest rent the caps allow today
- $3,032
- Median asking rent, Mission
- $3,950
- Difference
- $918 less a month
Assumes your landlord took every San Francisco annual increase since 2017 and nothing else (no banked increases or passthroughs). The asking median is RentReboot's median for 1 bedroom listings in Mission (278 listings): active listings first listed in the 180 days to October 2, 2026, one per unit. Asking rents are not signed leases. Not legal advice.
What new listings ask in San Francisco today
Median asking rents for active listings first listed in the 180 days to October 2, 2026, one per unit, by neighborhood. Groups with fewer than 10 listings are not shown.
| Neighborhood | Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior | · | $2,540 | $4,000 |
| Visitacion Valley | · | $2,900 | $3,520 |
| Lakeshore | $2,663 | $2,988 | $3,695 |
| Bayview/Hunters Point | · | $3,000 | $4,100 |
| Outer Mission | $2,890 | $3,000 | $4,010 |
| Chinatown | $2,573 | $3,150 | $5,573 |
| Outer Sunset | $2,675 | $3,200 | $4,600 |
| Outer Richmond | $2,750 | $3,350 | $4,850 |
| Inner Richmond | $2,895 | $3,500 | $4,800 |
| Bernal Heights | · | $3,600 | $4,950 |
| Twin Peaks | · | $3,645 | $4,995 |
| Downtown/Civic Center | $2,295 | $3,670 | $5,488 |
| West of Twin Peaks | $3,293 | $3,745 | $5,400 |
| Glen Park | · | $3,800 | $5,500 |
| Presidio Heights | $3,345 | $3,800 | $5,923 |
| Inner Sunset | $2,815 | $3,898 | $4,500 |
| Mission | $2,775 | $3,950 | $5,225 |
| Nob Hill | $2,647 | $3,995 | $6,250 |
| Noe Valley | $2,985 | $4,000 | $5,995 |
| Haight Ashbury | $3,250 | $4,100 | $5,695 |
| North Beach | $2,725 | $4,189 | $6,000 |
| Castro/Upper Market | $3,245 | $4,295 | $5,950 |
| Western Addition | $3,395 | $4,295 | $6,390 |
| South of Market | $3,838 | $4,688 | $6,693 |
| Russian Hill | $3,598 | $4,695 | $6,688 |
| Potrero Hill | $4,107 | $4,829 | $6,700 |
| Marina | $3,650 | $4,888 | $7,000 |
| Pacific Heights | $3,695 | $4,920 | $6,800 |
| Financial District | $4,749 | $5,735 | $7,732 |
Why there is no new-listing trend here yet. RentReboot started collecting Bay Area listings in April 2026, and the set of sites we read grew a lot in August. A month-to-month comparison would mix a real change in rents with a change in what we collect, so we will publish a year-over-year trend once we have a full year of comparable data.
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Set up Bay Area alertsQuestions about SF rent increases
How much can my landlord raise my rent in San Francisco in 2026?
For a unit under San Francisco rent control, the allowable annual increase is 1.6% from March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, once every 12 months. A landlord may also add banked increases from earlier years that were not taken. On a $3,000 rent, 1.6% is $48 a month. Confirm with the San Francisco Rent Board.
How much have rents gone up in San Francisco?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics rent index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area rose 99.6% from August 2006 to August 2026, 34.0% since August 2016, and 2.6% in the last year. Over the same years, San Francisco's caps allowed 40.2%, 21.3% and 1.6%.
What is the maximum rent increase in California in 2026?
Under the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), for increases that start between August 1, 2026 and July 31, 2027, the most a landlord can raise a covered rent in 12 months is 8.8% in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties and 8.6% in other counties, per the California Attorney General. Local rent control limits are lower where they apply.
What happens to the rent when a rent-controlled tenant moves out?
Under California's Costa-Hawkins law, a landlord may usually set the starting rent for a new tenancy. The annual caps then apply to the new tenant from that new starting rent. That is why a long-term tenant can pay far less than what new listings ask.
Is my apartment rent controlled?
In San Francisco, most units in buildings with a certificate of occupancy on or before June 13, 1979 have rent control. Single-family homes and condos are often exempt from the rent limits, and newer buildings are exempt. Our guide explains how to check, and the Rent Board can confirm.
Where do these numbers come from?
The caps come from the San Francisco Rent Board's Form 571 and the city and state sites linked on this page, checked on October 1, 2026. The rent index is BLS series CUURS49BSEHA, August of each year. Today's asking rents are RentReboot's medians for active listings first listed in the last 180 days, one per unit. The BLS index measures rents paid by all renters in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, including tenants in rent-controlled units. It is not a measure of new listings.
Sources and method
- San Francisco Rent Board, Form 571: Allowable Annual Rent Increases (January 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Rent of primary residence, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (series CUURS49BSEHA), August of each year
- California Attorney General: Rent caps under the Tenant Protection Act
"Rent under SF caps" grows a rent by every allowable increase from the March after the start year, the highest a landlord could take without a petition. Banked increases and passthroughs are left out. The rent index is August of each year. Figures were checked on October 1, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Related: rent control across the Bay Area · is my apartment rent controlled? · Bay Area rents in 2026 · is the Bay Area market getting tighter? · all rent data