Did you know that you should spend no more than 30% of your monthly income on rent and utilities? California is one of the most rent-burdened states in the country, and the 30% rule is something that many residents can only aspire to as they keep an eye on local rental laws and live on strict budgets.
USA Today released a ranking of the best U.S. cities for renters according to data from the Zillow Observed Rent Index, the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Yelp. Here are some main takeaways about where to find the cheapest places to rent in California, the best and worst cities for renters in California, and everything else you need to know.
What’s the best city for renters in California?
Jumpscare warning: Santa Clara ranked #10 out of 315 U.S. cities analyzed, not because it has cheap California rent, but because of its high income averages. In fact, Santa Clara’s typical rent of $3,123 is some of the highest in the state, but with an annual rental income of $136,060 and only 36.9% of renters rent-burdened (paying over 30% of income), the Bay Area city outranked everywhere else in California.
After Santa Clara you’ll find a few more Bay Area cities ranking near the top for renters in California: Sunnyvale came in at #38 on the list overall, followed by Fremont at #106 and San Mateo at #109.
In and around Los Angeles, the best cities for renters were Orange at #130, Costa Mesa at #158, and East L.A. at #160.
Which city has the cheapest rent in California?
Although it didn’t rank as one of the best cities for renters, there is a city that stood out for having the cheapest rent in California: Chico‘s typical rent came in at $1,659, but it ranked at #136 due to having 61.5% of renters rent-burdened.
As for the most expensive rent in California, that splendid prize goes to Carlsbad with a typical rent of $3,504 and an overall renter-friendly ranking of #279.
What’s the worst city for renters in California?
Many California cities rounded out the bottom of the list as the worst cities for renters in the United States. The very last spot at #315 is held by Menifee, a city in Riverside County with 78.8% of renters rent-burdened.
Nine of the country’s ten worst cities for renters are in California, including familiar names like Palmdale, Oceanside, Antioch, Richmond, and Hayward.
Methodology
USA TODAY Homefront used more than just average rent prices, incomes, and rent burden to create its ranking. Their team pulled data across 19 metrics for all 315 U.S. cities to determine the best cities for renters in the United States.
Additional metrics included regional price parity per the Bureau of Economic Analysis; the number of violent and property crimes; the percentage of vacant rentals; the number of restaurants, bars, kids activities, and parks; walkability; school district ratings; the number of listings allowing dogs and cats; rentals built in 2020 or later; and types of rentals available.
You can read USA TODAY’s full study here.