San Francisco Bay Area rent data
Is the Bay Area Rental Market Getting Tighter?
Somewhat, by the official numbers. The Census Bureau's estimate of the rental vacancy rate in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area fell from 5.9% in Q2 2025 to 4.2% in Q2 2026, the lowest estimate since Q2 2020. Each estimate has a margin of error of about ±2 points, and the two ranges overlap, so the drop is not certain. The government's rent index for the SF area rose 1.7% in the year to Nov 2025, then 3.0% in the year to Jul 2026. The latest reading, for Aug 2026, is 2.6%.
New listings are expensive. New San Francisco listings ask a median $4,600 a month, 88% more than the $2,448 median rent paid by San Francisco renter households in 2024. Across 21,780 Bay Area apartments listed September 12 to 30, 2026, the median ask was $3,170 a month, and a 1-bedroom in San Francisco asks a median $4,250. Asking rents come from RentReboot's own listing data; the comparison is explained below.
Fewer vacant rentals
Rental vacancy rate, San Francisco metro area
Census estimate by quarter, Q1 2015 to Q2 2026. The shaded band is the 90% margin of error.
| Quarter | Vacancy rate | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2015 | 3.6% | ±1.6 |
| Q2 2015 | 3.7% | ±1.7 |
| Q3 2015 | 3.6% | ±1.7 |
| Q4 2015 | 3.5% | ±1.7 |
| Q1 2016 | 3.7% | ±1.7 |
| Q2 2016 | 3.1% | ±1.9 |
| Q3 2016 | 4.6% | ±2.2 |
| Q4 2016 | 3% | ±1.9 |
| Q1 2017 | 4.3% | ±2.1 |
| Q2 2017 | 4.4% | ±2.1 |
| Q3 2017 | 3.3% | ±1.9 |
| Q4 2017 | 4.8% | ±2.2 |
| Q1 2018 | 4.3% | ±2.1 |
| Q2 2018 | 5.5% | ±2.4 |
| Q3 2018 | 6.7% | ±2.5 |
| Q4 2018 | 4.9% | ±2.2 |
| Q1 2019 | 3.9% | ±1.9 |
| Q2 2019 | 4.7% | ±2.1 |
| Q3 2019 | 3.3% | ±1.8 |
| Q4 2019 | 3.3% | ±1.8 |
| Q1 2020 | 2.9% | ±1.6 |
| Q2 2020 | 3% | ±1.7 |
| Q3 2020 | 6.7% | ±2.3 |
| Q4 2020 | 8.5% | ±2.7 |
| Q1 2021 | 7.9% | ±2.7 |
| Q2 2021 | 8.7% | ±2.8 |
| Q3 2021 | 4.3% | ±2 |
| Q4 2021 | 5.2% | ±2.2 |
| Q1 2022 | 5.6% | ±2.3 |
| Q2 2022 | 5.4% | ±2.2 |
| Q3 2022 | 5.2% | ±2.2 |
| Q4 2022 | 5.5% | ±2.3 |
| Q1 2023 | 4.7% | ±2.1 |
| Q2 2023 | 6.9% | ±2.4 |
| Q3 2023 | 9.4% | ±2.9 |
| Q4 2023 | 5.4% | ±2.2 |
| Q1 2024 | 7.3% | ±2.6 |
| Q2 2024 | 6.4% | ±2.5 |
| Q3 2024 | 6.6% | ±2.6 |
| Q4 2024 | 5.1% | ±2.2 |
| Q1 2025 | 7.2% | ±2.4 |
| Q2 2025 | 5.9% | ±2.3 |
| Q3 2025 | 4.9% | ±2 |
| Q4 2025 | 6.1% | ±2.5 |
| Q1 2026 | 5.5% | ±2.1 |
| Q2 2026 | 4.2% | ±1.9 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey (CPS/HVS), Table 4: Rental vacancy rates for the 75 largest metropolitan areas (San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; formerly San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward). A lower rate means fewer vacant rentals. The survey sample for one metro is small, so single quarters move a lot.
| Year | Average of quarterly estimates |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 6.5% |
| 2022 | 5.4% |
| 2023 | 6.6% |
| 2024 | 6.4% |
| 2025 | 6.0% |
| 2026 (2 quarters) | 4.9% |
Rents rising a little faster
How fast SF-area rents are rising
Change in the BLS rent index over the previous 12 months, Jan 2023 to Aug 2026.
| Month | Change over 12 months |
|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | 4.6% |
| Feb 2023 | 4.8% |
| Mar 2023 | 5.2% |
| Apr 2023 | 4.9% |
| May 2023 | 4.9% |
| Jun 2023 | 6.1% |
| Jul 2023 | 5.9% |
| Aug 2023 | 5.2% |
| Sep 2023 | 5.3% |
| Oct 2023 | 4.7% |
| Nov 2023 | 4.2% |
| Dec 2023 | 3.3% |
| Jan 2024 | 2.9% |
| Feb 2024 | 2.5% |
| Mar 2024 | 2.4% |
| Apr 2024 | 2.1% |
| May 2024 | 2.2% |
| Jun 2024 | 0.6% |
| Jul 2024 | 0.8% |
| Aug 2024 | 1.5% |
| Sep 2024 | 1.5% |
| Oct 2024 | 2.0% |
| Nov 2024 | 1.8% |
| Dec 2024 | 2.5% |
| Jan 2025 | 2.6% |
| Feb 2025 | 2.6% |
| Mar 2025 | 2.5% |
| Apr 2025 | 2.7% |
| May 2025 | 2.5% |
| Jun 2025 | 2.9% |
| Jul 2025 | 2.5% |
| Aug 2025 | 2.2% |
| Sep 2025 | 2.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 1.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 1.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 1.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 1.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 1.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 2.7% |
| May 2026 | 2.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 2.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 3.0% |
| Aug 2026 | 2.6% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Rent of primary residence, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (series CUURS49BSEHA), monthly. It measures rents paid by all renters, including long-term and rent-controlled tenants, not new listings. BLS did not publish October 2025 data.
New listings ask far more than renters pay
New San Francisco listings ask a median $4,600 a month, 88% more than the $2,448 median rent paid by San Francisco renter households in 2024. The two are not the same measure. The Census figure is from 2024, includes utilities and covers every rented home, including long-term and rent-controlled tenancies. Ours are asking rents for homes on the market now, without utilities. Since August 2024 the government's SF-area rent index rose 4.9%, so part of the gap is time.
What renters pay vs what new listings ask
Median rent paid by renter households (Census, 2024) and median asking rent of current listings (RentReboot, October 1, 2026), all sizes.
| City | Renters pay (2024) | New listings ask | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $2,448 | $4,600 | +88% |
| San Jose | $2,674 | $3,570 | +34% |
| Oakland | $2,008 | $2,595 | +29% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 (median gross rent), via data.census.gov; RentReboot listing data (All sizes (studio to 6 bedrooms), active listings first listed in the 180 days to October 1, 2026, one per unit, classified-board listings excluded.) The two are not the same measure. The Census figure is from 2024, includes utilities and covers every rented home, including long-term and rent-controlled tenancies. Ours are asking rents for homes on the market now, without utilities. Since August 2024 the government's SF-area rent index rose 4.9%, so part of the gap is time.
What new Bay Area listings ask
Official surveys measure the whole market. Our listing data shows what renters face when they search today.
Median asking rent for a 1-bedroom, by city
San Francisco and the 15 Bay Area cities with the most 1-bedroom listings in our data.
| City | Median 1-bed asking rent | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $4,250 | 4,651 |
| Mountain View | $3,890 | 567 |
| Redwood City | $3,657 | 449 |
| Santa Clara | $3,619 | 883 |
| Sunnyvale | $3,449 | 730 |
| San Mateo | $3,384 | 451 |
| Palo Alto | $3,195 | 283 |
| San Jose | $2,954 | 2,507 |
| Fremont | $2,734 | 650 |
| Walnut Creek | $2,566 | 330 |
| Alameda | $2,500 | 275 |
| Berkeley | $2,400 | 686 |
| Hayward | $2,250 | 379 |
| Oakland | $2,200 | 1,986 |
| Richmond | $1,913 | 268 |
| Vallejo | $1,734 | 307 |
Every city and neighborhood, by size: Bay Area average rents.
RentReboot listing data: active listings first listed in the 180 days to October 2, 2026, one per unit, classified-board listings excluded. San Francisco combines all its neighborhoods. Asking rents, not signed leases.
What a tighter market means when you search
- Fewer vacant units usually means more renters per listing, so the first people to ask often get the viewings.
- Have your documents ready: ID, proof of income and references.
- Know the rent rules before you sign. Many older buildings have local rent control; see rent control across the Bay Area and how much your SF rent can go up.
- If your income qualifies, check open San Francisco housing lotteries.
See new Bay Area listings first
Set your budget and neighborhoods once. RentReboot watches 100+ Bay Area rental sources and sends the matches by email or text.
Set up Bay Area alertsQuestions about the Bay Area rental market
Is the Bay Area rental market getting tighter?
Two official measures point that way, by small amounts. The Census Bureau's estimate of the rental vacancy rate in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area fell from 5.9% in Q2 2025 to 4.2% in Q2 2026, the lowest estimate since Q2 2020. Each estimate has a margin of error of about ±2 points, and the two ranges overlap, so the drop is not certain. The government's rent index for the SF area rose 1.7% in the year to Nov 2025, then 3.0% in the year to Jul 2026. The latest reading, for Aug 2026, is 2.6%.
What is the rental vacancy rate in San Francisco?
The Census Bureau's Housing Vacancy Survey estimates 4.2% (±1.9 points) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area in Q2 2026. It does not publish a figure for the city alone.
Are Bay Area rents going up?
Yes, slowly. The BLS rent index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area rose 2.6% in the year to Aug 2026. It measures rents paid by all renters, not only new listings.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in the Bay Area?
In San Francisco, the median asking rent for a 1-bedroom is $4,250 a month, from 4,651 active listings first listed in the 180 days to October 1, 2026. Across 21,780 Bay Area apartments listed September 12 to 30, 2026, the median ask was $3,170. These are asking rents, not signed leases.
How much more do new listings cost than what renters already pay?
New San Francisco listings ask a median $4,600 a month, 88% more than the $2,448 median rent paid by San Francisco renter households in 2024. In San Jose new listings ask $3,570 against $2,674 paid (34% more), and in Oakland $2,595 against $2,008 (29% more). The two are not the same measure. The Census figure is from 2024, includes utilities and covers every rented home, including long-term and rent-controlled tenancies. Ours are asking rents for homes on the market now, without utilities. Since August 2024 the government's SF-area rent index rose 4.9%, so part of the gap is time.
Where is the cheapest place to rent a 1-bedroom in the Bay Area?
Among Bay Area cities with at least 100 one-bedroom listings in our data, the lowest median asking rents are Vallejo ($1,734), Fairfield ($1,825), Antioch ($1,828).
Where do these numbers come from?
Vacancy: U.S. Census Bureau Housing Vacancy Survey, quarterly, with a 90% margin of error. Rents: BLS CPI-U Rent of primary residence, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, monthly. BLS did not publish October 2025 data. Asking rents: RentReboot's listing data, active listings first listed in the last 180 days, one per unit, classified-board listings excluded. Checked October 1, 2026.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey (CPS/HVS), Table 4: Rental vacancy rates for the 75 largest metropolitan areas (San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; formerly San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Rent of primary residence, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (series CUURS49BSEHA), monthly
Census publishes a 90% margin of error for each quarterly metro estimate. BLS did not publish October 2025 data. RentReboot's asking rents count each unit once at its latest asking price and leave out classified-board listings. We do not publish a trend from our own listings yet: our Bay Area collection began in April 2026 and grew in August, so a month-to-month comparison would mix real change with changes in what we collect. Checked October 1, 2026.