Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 1, 2026
Average rent in
Lake Forest, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on August 1, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Lake Forest, CA rent slipped 12.4% year over year to a current median of $3,500/month. Renters are paying roughly the same as last year, with the $15 monthly difference considered negligible in this market.
Compared to national trends
Lake Forest runs roughly 1.8× the $1,930/month national median, placing it among pricier Southern California metros with a limited total rental inventory of 53 units.
Price ranges
Studios rent for $2,800/month, 1-bedrooms $2,494/month, and 2-bedrooms $3,260/month, with larger units commanding higher rents. The 3-bedroom median is $4,600/month.
Neighborhood spotlight
Pacific Commercentre rents fell 46.0% year over year to $3,915/month across 15 rentals, a steeper decline than the citywide 12.4% drop. In contrast, El Toro saw rents rise 20.6%, showing divergent neighborhood trends within Lake Forest.
Median rent
Median rent in Lake Forest
$3,500/mo
12%vs previous year
The average rent in Lake Forest is $3,500 per month as of July 2026. This is 81% above the national average rent, or $1,570 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Lake Forest
53
for rent on Zumper.com as of July 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Lake Forest rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Lake Forest, CA
Average rent prices in Lake Forest have decreased by 4% over the last month and have decreased by 12% 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
Lake Forest, CA
Rent prices in Lake Forest vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Lake Forest is $3,107, whereas a house costs $5,000. 1-bedroom apartments in Lake Forest run $2,563 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,260.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,800 | 1% |  5% | |
1 bedroom | $2,493 | 3% | 7% | |
2 bedroom | $3,260 | 1% | 9% | |
3 bedroom | $4,600 | 3% | 1% | |
4 bedroom | $6,350 | 12% | 18% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Baker Ranch | $3,311 | |
El Toro | $2,950 | |
Foothill Ranch | $4,350 | |
Lake Forest | $3,885 | |
Pacific Commercentre | $3,915 | |
Portola Hills | $2,995 | |
Rancho De Los Alisos | $3,000 | |
Rancho Serrano | $3,105 | |
Serrano Highlands | $3,400 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,107 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,997 | 8% | No Change | |
Houses | $5,000 | 3% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,250 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,800
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
5%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,493
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
7%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,260
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
9%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,600
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
1%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$6,350
Last 30 days
12%
Last year
18%
Baker Ranch
Average rent
$3,311
Lake Forest
Average rent
$3,885
Rancho De Los Alisos
Average rent
$3,000
Foothill Ranch
Average rent
$4,350
Serrano Highlands
Average rent
$3,400
Portola Hills
Average rent
$2,995
Pacific Commercentre
Average rent
$3,915
El Toro
Average rent
$2,950
Rancho Serrano
Average rent
$3,105
Apartments
Average rent
$3,107
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$2,997
Last 30 days
8%
Houses
Average rent
$5,000
Last 30 days
3%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,250
The table above reflects average rent prices in Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Lake Forest and Aliso Viejo by all bedroom counts and property types.
Lake Forest
81%higher than the national median
118%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Lake Forest, CA is 17% lower than the median rent in Aliso Viejo, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$4,200
10%$6,500
12%$2,850
15%$9,375
17%$5,000
9%$2,900
1%$2,900
3%$4,175
6%$3,000
13%$4,500
6%$2,633
4%$4,800
11%Discover rentals in Lake Forest, CA
5d+ ago
House for rent in Lake Forest
24251 Muirlands Blvd #NA, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1 bed
1 bath
$1,000
House for rent
Available Aug 1
5d+ ago
El Toro house for rent in Lake Forest
24921 Muirlands Blvd #26, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1 bed
1 bath
$1,250
House for rent
12h ago
Rancho de los Alisos condo for rent in Lake Forest
2 beds
1 bath
$2,895
$2,795
Price drop
Condo for rent
4d ago
Verified
3 beds
2 baths
$3,800
House for rent
Available Sep 7
5d+ ago
Pacific Commercentre house for rent in Lake Forest
181 Pin Ln, Lake Forest, CA 92630
5 beds
3.5 baths
$12,925
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Lake Forest
24282 Sunnybrook Cir, Lake Forest, CA 92630
4 beds
3 baths
$10,325
House for rent
5d+ ago
Foothill Ranch house for rent in Lake Forest
2 Cameron Cir, Lake Forest, CA 92610
4 beds
2.5 baths
$8,525
House for rent
5d+ ago
Rancho de los Alisos house for rent in Lake Forest
228 Siena, Lake Forest, CA 92630
3 beds
3.5 baths
$8,100
House for rent
10h ago
Verified
25381 Mosswood Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,759–$3,547
Apartment for rent
12h ago
Verified
26322 Towne Centre Dr, Lake Forest, CA 92610
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,486–$4,174
Price drop
Apartment for rent
18h ago
Verified
20041 Osterman Rd, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,492–$3,107
Apartment for rent
51m ago
Verified
1000 Lupine, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$2,850–$5,050
Apartment for rent
4h ago
Verified
23251 Los Alisos Blvd, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1 bed
1 bath
$2,425
Apartment for rent
10h ago
Verified
25381 Mosswood Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,759–$3,547
Apartment for rent
18h ago
Verified
20041 Osterman Rd, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,492–$3,107
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
22700 Lake Forest Dr, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,255–$3,965
Price drop
Apartment for rent
10h ago
Verified
25381 Mosswood Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,759–$3,547
Apartment for rent
12h ago
Verified
26322 Towne Centre Dr, Lake Forest, CA 92610
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,486–$4,174
Price drop
Apartment for rent
18h ago
Verified
20041 Osterman Rd, Lake Forest, CA 92630
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,492–$3,107
Apartment for rent
51m ago
Verified
1000 Lupine, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$2,850–$5,050
Apartment for rent
Stay up to date with rental market insights
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 Lake Forest, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Lake Forest rental market.
How much is rent in Lake Forest?
The average rent in Lake Forest is $3,500 per month as of July 25, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Lake Forest?
Average rent prices in Lake Forest have decreased by 4% over the last month and have decreased by 12% since last year.
How does Lake Forest rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Lake Forest is 81% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,570 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Lake Forest?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Lake Forest are El Toro ($2,950/mo), Portola Hills ($2,995/mo), and Rancho De Los Alisos ($3,000/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Lake Forest?
To comfortably afford rent in Lake Forest, you'd need to earn approximately $140,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Lake Forest?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in Lake Forest average around $2,480/month and two-bedrooms approximately $3,150/month, both down from last year.
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).