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Rents drop in 63% of Southern California

May 16, 2026

Good news, Southern California tenants: rents are down in roughly two-thirds of the region.

My trusty spreadsheet reviewed April’s rent report from ApartmentList, which primarily tracks apartment costs in 54 cities across the region, with cost estimates combining government stats and listing data from its own website.

The results show rents fell in the past year in 34 or 63% of the region’s cities. The median decline was 1.5% in markets where one-bedroom units run $1,823 and it costs $2,278 for two bedrooms.

April’s one-year declines in ApartmentList’s overall rent indexes were more likely found in lower-cost cities across Southern California. It’s another sign that the current economic turmoil is centered where paychecks are smaller.

In the 20 cities with rising rents, the median one-year gain was 0.9%, with one-bedroom units running $2,157 – 18% more than in cities with falling rents – and $2,640 for two-bedroom units – 16% more than in cities with falling rents.

Across all 54 cities, rents fell by a median 0.7% over the year, with one-bedroom units costing $1,952 and two-bedroom units costing $2,370.

Landlords scramble to fill their units as the local job market is wobbly, rising inflation strips money from tenants’ budgets, and newly built units intensify competition for renters.

City math

Looking at the five cities with the largest rent declines, three are near the January 2025 wildfires. That’s a hint that whatever post-fire demand was created by the widespread housing destruction has largely evaporated.

Santa Monica: 8.8% drop, where it costs $2,179 for a typical one-bedroom unit and $2,612 for two.

Pomona: 6.9% drop with $1,475 one-bedroom units and $1,861 for two.

Chula Vista: 4.7% drop with $1,710 one-bedroom units and $2,237 for two.

Pasadena: 4.5% drop with $2,112 one-bedroom units and $2,717 for two.

Glendale: 4.3% drop with $1,833 one-bedroom units and $2,359 for two.

Inside the five cities with the largest rent increases, you see the hot spot for price hikes: three are from Orange County.

Aliso Viejo: 6.9% increase, where it costs for a typical $2,799 one-bedroom unit and $3,305 for two.

Newport Beach: 3.7% increase with $2,851 one-bedroom units and $3,540 for two.

Oceanside: 2.4% increase with $2,020 one-bedroom units and $2,510 for two.

Mission Viejo: 2.2% increase with $2,389 one-bedroom units and $2,873 for two.

West Hollywood: 1.9% increase with $2,039 one-bedroom units and $2,647 for two.

Counting counties

Contemplate median rent swings in local metros. Four of the five have declining rents, with Orange County the exception.

Los Angeles County: 2.2% one-year drop in a market with median rents of $1,837 for one-bedroom units and $2,369 for two.

San Diego County: 1.3% drop with $1,857 one-bedroom units and $2,246 for two.

Inland Empire: 1.1% drop with $1,702 one-bedroom units and $1,975 for two.

Ventura County: 0.6% drop with $2,124 one-bedroom units and $2,556 for two.

Orange County: 0.4% gain with $2,269 one-bedroom units and $2,681 for two.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

Try Jonathan Lansner’s Substack collection of economic trends. CLICK HERE!

Orange County Register

News Details

Rents drop in 63% of Southern California

City math

Counting counties

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