The cost of home rentals has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic as rental homes were sold to capture the COVID real estate price appreciation. This has caused a significant shortage in rental properties throughout the United States, and we have since seen large rent increases in almost every city nationwide.
Airdeed Homes compiled a list of California counties with the highest rent increases since the pandemic using data from Apartment List. The analysis is calculated using fully-representative median rent data for recent movers taken from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Then calculated forward to the current month using a growth rate determined from real-time leases on their website.
The 21 counties ranged from an increase of 37% to a decrease of 13% from pre-pandemic rent prices. This change within a few years shows how the pandemic reset the housing market for buyers and renters alike.
The overall percentage of change in home rental prices varies from county to county. In some counties, rents may decrease due to an increase in vacancy rate or a decrease in demand. These would include cities like San Mateo and San Francisco County. Both have decreased rental prices compared to pre-pandemic levels. In other counties, rents may be rising due to population growth or an increase in wages.
Major California Counties
Santa Barbara County, CA
+ 36.97% Since the Start of the Pandemic
– 4.79% Year Over Year Change
San Diego County, CA
+ 30.24% Since the Start of the Pandemic
+ 2.41% Year Over Year Change
Orange County, CA
+ 24% Since the Start of the Pandemic
– 1.42% Year Over Year Change
Los Angeles County, CA
+ 11.06% Since the Start of the Pandemic
+ 0.21% Year Over Year Change
San Francisco County, CA
– 12.65% Since the Start of the Pandemic
– 1.19% Year Over Year Change
Full California County Chart
| County | YOY Change | Pandemic Change |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara County, CA | – 4.79% | + 36.97% |
| San Bernardino County, CA | – 0.79% | + 34.03% |
| Riverside County, CA | – 3.15% | + 32.57% |
| San Diego County, CA | + 2.41% | + 30.24% |
| Fresno County, CA | – 2.95% | + 24.05% |
| Ventura County, CA | – 1.35% | + 24.01% |
| Orange County, CA | – 1.42% | + 24% |
| Placer County, CA | – 4.98% | + 22.65% |
| Sacramento County, CA | – 3.28% | + 19.94% |
| San Joaquin County, CA | – 6.97% | + 18.36% |
| Napa County, CA | + 3.69% | + 16.36% |
| Sonoma County, CA | – 0.68% | + 16.3% |
| Solano County, CA | – 3.49% | + 14.2% |
| Los Angeles County, CA | + 0.21% | + 11.06% |
| Yolo County, CA | – 0.08% | + 9.16% |
| Marin County, CA | – 5.36% | + 8.05% |
| Contra Costa County, CA | – 0.19% | + 6.95% |
| Santa Clara County, CA | + 1.82% | + 0.81% |
| Alameda County, CA | – 1.45% | – 0.79% |
| San Mateo County, CA | – 0.44% | – 5.34% |
| San Francisco County, CA | – 1.19% | – 12.65% |
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