Finding an affordable apartment in Los Angeles is already a major challenge. Now, the hunt is going to get even harder.
According to a recent report by CBS News, USC researchers forecast that rents will rise across all Southern California counties over the next three years.
Depending on exactly where you live, forecasters expect renters to pay an average of 1.4% to 2.4% more between 2026 and 2029. The primary culprit is a severe apartment shortage combined with limited new development.
Researchers noted that inflation, higher interest rates, and increased construction costs are severely stalling new housing. Between 2015 and 2025, states like Texas, Florida, and Arizona developed more than twice as much housing as California.
“Southern California’s housing shortage is a problem we created, but it is also a problem we can solve,” forecast author Moussa Diop explained.
Here is exactly what the rent forecast looks like for your specific county:
Los Angeles County
LA County will actually see the smallest rent growth in the region over the next three years. However, USC still describes it as one of the tightest rental markets in the country.
Average rent in Los Angeles County will increase 1.4% from $2,362 to $2,469 between 2026 and 2029.
Officials are being urged to take an “all-in approach” to expedite permitting and reduce regulatory barriers.
While permits for new apartments are currently 60% higher than last year’s monthly average, researchers worry that high labor and material costs might prevent these developments from actually being built.
Orange County
Orange County is facing a persistent rental deficit with a massive affordability gap. Multifamily housing production here is considered “paltry,” and new developments are expected to shrink 40% by 2029.
USC forecasts that Orange County’s average rent will rise 1.9% from $2,792 to $2,946.
Currently, the average rent in Orange County is 18% higher than in LA County. Even lower-quality units are 22% more expensive compared to Los Angeles.
Ventura County
Ventura County is the second most expensive housing market in Southern California.
USC researchers describe the region as “expensive by design,” noting a heavy dominance of single-family homes and very few multifamily developments.
Average rent in Ventura County will rise from $2,675 to $2,849 by 2029.
The region recently produced roughly 850 new units. However, researchers say this will do little to improve overall affordability because new developments will drop by nearly 50% over the next three years.
Inland Empire
USC refers to the Inland Empire as the last haven of relative affordability in the area. The region, which includes Riverside and San Bernardino counties, recently built 12,300 rental units.
Despite having the fastest expansion rate in Southern California, a stark drop in construction means the area will see the highest average rental growth at 2.4%.
New construction projects have fallen 60% since 2024. Because of this stall, rents will increase from $2,150 to $2,309 by 2029.
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