Last updated on September 15, 2026

Average rent in
La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

Median rent

Median rent in La Mesa

$2,395/mo

decreased by4%

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.

$2.95

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

75%56%38%19%0%
$0 - $1,500
$1,501 - $3,000
$3,001 - $4,500
$4,501 - $6,000
$6,001 - $50,000

Rent trends in La Mesa, 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, 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

$4,495

5%

7%

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

$4,495

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

7%

The table above reflects average rent prices in La Mesa, 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, La Mesa, CA compare to other neighborhoods?

Compare median rent prices in La Mesa and El Cajon by all bedroom counts and property types.

La Mesa

Median rent price$2,395
increased by26%

higher than the national median

Median rent price$2,095
increased by10%

higher than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in La Mesa, La Mesa, CA is 14% higher than the median rent in El Cajon, El, CA.

Average rent in nearby neighborhoods

Explore rent trends in neighboring markets

El Cajon

$2,095

decreased by2%
Last year
Colina Del Sol

$1,900

decreased by3%
Last year
College East

$2,995

decreased by8%
Last year
College West

$2,650

decreased by7%
Last year
Normal Heights

$2,295

increased by8%
Last year
Talmadge

$2,095

increased by1%
Last year

Discover rentals in La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

4406 Rosebud Ln Apt C #Apt C - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Apartment for rent in La Mesa

Volterra Apartments - Photo 1 of 1
3D tour

4d ago

9.4

Excellent

Volterra Apartments

9071 Dallas St, La Mesa, CA 91942

1–2 beds

1–2 baths

$1,995–$2,495

7376 University Ave - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Apartment for rent in La Mesa

2 beds

1 bath

$2,300

$2,100

Price drop

The Parkway - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

9.2

Excellent

The Parkway

7546 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942

2 beds

1 bath

$2,150

Stay up to date with rental market insights

View the National Rent Report

National Rent Report

View the Canadian Rent Report

Canadian Rent Report

View the Annual Rent Report

Annual Rent Report

Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.

Frequently asked questions for La Mesa, 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.

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).

Apartments for rent in Bostonia
Apartments for rent in Carlsbad
Apartments for rent in Chula Vista
Apartments for rent in Coronado
Apartments for rent in El Cajon
Apartments for rent in Encinitas
Apartments for rent in Escondido
Apartments for rent in Imperial Beach
Apartments for rent in La Mesa
Apartments for rent in National City
Apartments for rent in Oceanside
Apartments for rent in Poway
Apartments for rent in San Diego
Apartments for rent in San Marcos
Apartments for rent in Vista

4629 70th St, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
4800 Williamsburg Lane, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
4033 Violet St, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4452 Rosebud Ln, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4545 1/2 Upland St, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4913 Guava Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942, US
4995 Williams Ave, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
7231 Cornell Ave, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
8336 Dallas St, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
9273 Earl St, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
5123 Wilson St, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
6985 Wisconsin Ave, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
8075 Lemon Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
8951 Linden Ln, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4260 Eastridge Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4406 Rosebud Ln Apt C, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4792 Beaumont Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
4926 Baltimore Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
7580 Saranac Ave, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA
7843 Quince St, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA