Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 18, 2026
Average rent in
La Mesa, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 18, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where La Mesa rent stands today
La Mesa, CA rent slipped 4.0% year over year, with a current median of $2,395/month. Renters today are paying $42 less per month on average than last year, despite a 1.9% month-over-month increase in September 2026.
Compared to national trends
La Mesa runs 26.1% more expensive than the $1,900/month national median, placing it among pricier Southern California markets with a total of 110 rentals available.
Price ranges
Studio rents in La Mesa start at $1,775/month, 1-bedrooms rent for $1,995/month, and 2-bedrooms go for $2,538/month. Larger units include 3-bedrooms at $3,500/month and 4+ bedrooms at $5,295/month. This range reflects the diversity of rental options by bedroom count.
Median rent
Median rent in La Mesa
$2,395/mo
4%vs previous year
The average rent in La Mesa is $2,395 per month as of September 2026. This is 26% above the national average rent, or $495 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in La Mesa
110
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of La Mesa rentals at each price point
Rent trends in La Mesa, CA
Average rent prices in La Mesa have increased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 4% since last year.
Rent trends
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Compare rent prices in
La Mesa, CA
Rent prices in La Mesa vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in La Mesa is $2,280, whereas a house costs $3,595. 1-bedroom apartments in La Mesa run $2,070 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,495.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,775 |  3% | 3% | |
1 bedroom | $1,995 | 2% | 10% | |
2 bedroom | $2,538 | 2% | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $3,500 | 2% | No Change | |
4 bedroom | $5,295 | 5% | 1% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
La Mesa | $2,395 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,280 | No Change | No Change | |
Condos | $2,280 | 9% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,595 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,175 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$1,775
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
3%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,995
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
10%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,538
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,500
Last 30 days
2%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,295
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
1%
La Mesa
Average rent
$2,395
Apartments
Average rent
$2,280
Last 30 days
No Change
Condos
Average rent
$2,280
Last 30 days
9%
Houses
Average rent
$3,595
Last 30 days
1%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,175
The table above reflects average rent prices in La Mesa, CA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.
How does rent in La Mesa, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in La Mesa and Bonita by all bedroom counts and property types.
La Mesa
26%higher than the national median
32%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in La Mesa, CA is 4% lower than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,500
12%$2,995
1%$6,500
23%$2,095
3%$4,980
1%$2,945
5%$2,550
10%$2,450
1%$2,895
5%$2,784
1%$2,695
1%$2,395
4%Discover rentals in La Mesa, CA
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in La Mesa
2 beds
1 bath
$2,300
$2,100
Price drop
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 21
1d ago
7546 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
2 beds
1 bath
$2,150
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Condo for rent in La Mesa
2 beds
1 bath
$2,150
Condo for rent
Available Sep 21
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in La Mesa
7546 Parkway DriveUnit 2-B #2B, La Mesa, CA 91942
2 beds
1 bath
$2,150
Apartment for rent
Available May 11
5d+ ago
House for rent in La Mesa
4260 Eastridge Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
5 beds
4 baths
$11,900
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in La Mesa
7865 Quince St #3, La Mesa, CA 91941
2 beds
1 bath
$4,500
House for rent
Available Sep 28
5d+ ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$4,626
$4,290
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$4,176
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
7400 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,485–$3,591
Apartment for rent
5h ago
6985 Waite Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
1 bed
1 bath
$1,925
Apartment for rent
11h ago
8561 Mellmanor Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1 bed
1 bath
$1,895
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
7670 Normal Ave #7670, La Mesa, CA 91941
2 beds
1 bath
$2,650
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 10
2d ago
Verified
7400 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,485–$3,591
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
5711 Water St, La Mesa, CA 91942
2–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,538–$3,310
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
4 beds
2 baths
$5,679
$5,332
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5h ago
6985 Waite Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
1 bed
1 bath
$1,925
Apartment for rent
5h ago
6985 Waite Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
1 bed
1 bath
$1,925
Apartment for rent
1d ago
9071 Dallas St, La Mesa, CA 91942
2 beds
1 bath
$2,395
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
5679 Amaya Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1 bed
1 bath
$2,255–$2,400
Price drop
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
7865 Quince St, La Mesa, CA 91941
2 beds
1 bath
$3,757
Price drop
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for La Mesa, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the La Mesa rental market.
How much is rent in La Mesa?
The average rent in La Mesa is $2,395 per month as of September 12, 2026.
Is rent up or down in La Mesa?
Average rent prices in La Mesa have increased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 4% since last year.
How does La Mesa rent compare to the national average?
Rent in La Mesa is 26% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $495 more per month.
What salary do I need to afford rent in La Mesa?
To comfortably afford rent in La Mesa, you'd need to earn approximately $96,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in La Mesa?
Late fall and winter months offer the best rental deals in La Mesa, with November seeing the lowest rents and December being the least competitive month. July has the highest rents with roughly an 8% difference between peak summer and off-peak winter pricing.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.
Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).