Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on June 19, 2026
Average rent in
La Mesa, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on June 19, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
La Mesa, CA rent is essentially flat year over year, with a current median of $2,348/month. Renters today are paying about the same as last year, with a modest 2.0% decline that translates to a negligible $24 less per month on average.
Compared to national trends
La Mesa sits 20.4% more expensive than the $1,950/month national median, placing it in the pricier tier of Southern California metros despite a relatively small total rental inventory of 112 units.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studio rents in La Mesa run around $1,848/month, 1-bedrooms at $1,950/month, 2-bedrooms at $2,597/month, 3-bedrooms at $3,490/month, and 4+ bedrooms at $4,398/month. This range reflects the variety of unit sizes available to renters.
Neighborhood spotlight
The 4+ bedroom segment in La Mesa has cooled by 14.6% year over year, contrasting with the citywide decline of 2.0%. Studios have risen 8.0%, showing divergent trends within the bedroom tiers for renters in La Mesa, CA.
Median rent
Median rent in La Mesa
$2,347/mo
2%vs previous year
The average rent in La Mesa is $2,347 per month as of June 2026. This is 20% above the national average rent, or $397 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in La Mesa
112
for rent on Zumper.com as of June 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 remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 2% 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 $2,245, whereas a house costs $3,150. 1-bedroom apartments in La Mesa run $1,995 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,450.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,847 | No Change |  1% | |
1 bedroom | $1,950 | 2% | 1% | |
2 bedroom | $2,597 | 1% | 5% | |
3 bedroom | $3,490 | 1% | 1% | |
4 bedroom | $4,397 | 19% | 19% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
La Mesa | $2,347 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,245 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,595 | 8% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,150 | 3% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,300 | 2% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,847
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,950
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
1%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,597
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
5%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,490
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
1%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,397
Last 30 days
19%
Last year
19%
La Mesa
Average rent
$2,347
Apartments
Average rent
$2,245
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$2,595
Last 30 days
8%
Houses
Average rent
$3,150
Last 30 days
3%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,300
Last 30 days
2%
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
20%higher than the national median
33%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in La Mesa, CA is 10% lower than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,600
$3,000
5%$6,500
6%$2,095
2%$5,750
13%$2,895
3%$2,595
23%$2,395
3%$2,574
5%$2,795
2%$2,695
5%$2,599
24%Discover rentals in La Mesa, CA
2d ago
House for rent in La Mesa
4 Valencia Dr, La Mesa, CA 92115
1 bed
1 bath
$1,200
House for rent
Available Jun 16
2d ago
7614 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$1,845–$2,225
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
5121 Dailey Ct, La Mesa, CA 91942
2 beds
1 bath
$1,875
Apartment for rent
1d ago
7576 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,895–$2,245
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in La Mesa
4260 Eastridge Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
5 beds
4 baths
$11,900
House for rent
14h ago
5590 Shasta Ln, La Mesa, CA 91942
3 beds
2 baths
$5,500
Condo for rent
Available Jun 19
4d ago
Townhouse for rent in La Mesa
4678 Nebo Dr #1, La Mesa, CA 91941
2 beds
3 baths
$4,495
House for rent
Available Jun 16
12h ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$4,055
Apartment for rent
22h ago
Verified
7400 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,215–$3,137
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
5630 5630 - 5670 Jackson Drive, La Mesa, CA 91942
2 beds
2 baths
$2,495
Apartment for rent
3d ago
6985 Waite Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,860–$2,195
Apartment for rent
3d ago
5151 Dailey Ct, La Mesa, CA 91942
1 bed
1 bath
$2,045
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
3 beds
2 baths
$3,465
House for rent
Available Jun 7
22h ago
Verified
7400 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,215–$3,137
Price drop
Apartment for rent
33m ago
Verified
5711 Water St, La Mesa, CA 91942
2–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,690–$3,290
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$3,700
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
7400 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1 bed
1 bath
$2,215–$2,602
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3d ago
6985 Waite Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,860–$2,195
Apartment for rent
4h ago
Verified
5679 Amaya Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,405–$2,970
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
3 beds
2 baths
$3,465
House for rent
Available Jun 7
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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 $2,347 per month as of June 13, 2026.
Is rent up or down in La Mesa?
Average rent prices in La Mesa have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 2% since last year.
How does La Mesa rent compare to the national average?
Rent in La Mesa is 20% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $397 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 $94,000/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?
La Mesa one-bedroom apartments averaged around $2,000 per month in 2025, while two-bedroom units averaged around $2,500 per month. The overall average rent across all apartment types in La Mesa was around $2,400 per month during 2025.
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).