Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 15, 2026
Average rent in
Palo Alto, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 15, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Palo Alto rent stands today
Palo Alto, CA rent rose 10.9% year over year, with a current median of $4,380/month. Rent is down slightly from the peak three months ago but remains well above the trough seen in early 2025.
Vs. national rents
Palo Alto rents run roughly 2.3× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among the priciest metros in the country. The market is small with just 53 total rentals, limiting options for renters.
Price ranges
Studios in Palo Alto rent around $3,600/month, 1-bedrooms at $3,515/month, and 2-bedrooms at $4,700/month, with 3-bedrooms at $7,060/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $12,000/month. These bedroom tiers represent a broad range of rental options.
Neighborhood spotlight
Greenmeadow rents fell 53.6% year over year to $4,000/month, and Old Palo Alto dropped 61.4% to $5,695/month. Community Center saw a decline of 72.7% to $5,325/month. These steep local declines contrast with the overall citywide rent increase of 10.9%.
Median rent
Median rent in Palo Alto
$4,380/mo
11%vs previous year
The average rent in Palo Alto is $4,380 per month as of September 2026. This is 131% above the national average rent, or $2,480 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Palo Alto
53
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Palo Alto rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Palo Alto, CA
Average rent prices in Palo Alto have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 11% 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
Palo Alto, CA
Rent prices in Palo Alto vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Palo Alto is $4,130, whereas a house costs $7,200. 1-bedroom apartments in Palo Alto run $3,930 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $4,700.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $3,600 | 1% | 30% | |
1 bedroom | $3,515 | 2% | 19% | |
2 bedroom | $4,700 | 2% | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $7,060 | 4% |  3% | |
4 bedroom | $12,000 | 23% | 3% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Charleston Meadow | $4,213 | |
Crescent Park | $4,460 | |
Downtown North | $3,900 | |
Duveneck St Francis | $4,450 | |
Evergreen Park | $4,400 | |
Midtown | $4,415 | |
Palo Verde | $4,300 | |
St Claire Gardens | $4,605 | |
University South | $4,700 | |
Ventura | $4,510 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $4,130 | 3% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,900 | 27% | No Change | |
Houses | $7,200 | 9% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,300 | 13% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$3,600
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
30%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$3,515
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
19%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$4,700
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$7,060
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
3%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$12,000
Last 30 days
23%
Last year
3%
University South
Average rent
$4,700
Evergreen Park
Average rent
$4,400
Downtown North
Average rent
$3,900
Charleston Meadow
Average rent
$4,213
St Claire Gardens
Average rent
$4,605
Midtown
Average rent
$4,415
Crescent Park
Average rent
$4,460
Duveneck St Francis
Average rent
$4,450
Ventura
Average rent
$4,510
Palo Verde
Average rent
$4,300
Apartments
Average rent
$4,130
Last 30 days
3%
Condos
Average rent
$2,900
Last 30 days
27%
Houses
Average rent
$7,200
Last 30 days
9%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,300
Last 30 days
13%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Palo Alto and Fremont by all bedroom counts and property types.
Palo Alto
131%higher than the national median
66%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Palo Alto, CA is 39% higher than the median rent in Fremont, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$3,160
8%$2,522
6%$3,636
5%$4,167
1%$3,650
4%$5,999
$3,469
11%$3,607
2%$3,717
7%$3,792
1%$3,759
4%$2,972
9%Discover rentals in Palo Alto, CA
5d+ ago
314 College Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
2 beds
1 bath
$3,900
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Charleston Meadow apartment for rent in Palo Alto
2 beds
2 baths
$3,995
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 15
5d+ ago
Midtown apartment for rent in Palo Alto
2 beds
1 bath
$3,995
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 15
3d ago
St. Claire Gardens house for rent in Palo Alto
3 beds
1 bath
$5,700
House for rent
5d+ ago
Old Palo Alto house for rent in Palo Alto
595 Seale Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
3 beds
2 baths
$20,000
House for rent
Available Sep 22
3d ago
4115 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$6,550–$12,800
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
501 Forest Ave #1298, Palo Alto, CA 94301
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$5,760–$6,570
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
801 Middlefield Rd #1711, Palo Alto, CA 94301
2 beds
2 baths
$6,550
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$3,750
Condo for rent
Available Sep 8
7h ago
Verified
565 Arastradero Rd #705, Palo Alto, CA 94306
1 bed
1 bath
$4,160
Apartment for rent
21h ago
Verified
715 Everett Ave #1763, Palo Alto, CA 94301
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$4,400–$7,060
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$4,140
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
3375 Alma St, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,885–$4,095
Price drop
Apartment for rent
21h ago
Verified
715 Everett Ave #1763, Palo Alto, CA 94301
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$4,400–$7,060
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
837 Cowper St #1381, Palo Alto, CA 94301
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$4,080–$6,290
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$3,790
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
628 Waverley St #05, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Studio
1 bath
$1,995
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 10
1d ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$3,750
Condo for rent
Available Sep 8
4d ago
Verified
3375 Alma St, Palo Alto, CA 94306
2 beds
2 baths
$3,890–$4,095
Price drop
Apartment for rent
21h ago
Verified
715 Everett Ave #1763, Palo Alto, CA 94301
2 beds
1 bath
$4,400
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for Palo Alto, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Palo Alto rental market.
How much is rent in Palo Alto?
The average rent in Palo Alto is $4,380 per month as of September 12, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Palo Alto?
Average rent prices in Palo Alto have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 11% since last year.
How does Palo Alto rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Palo Alto is 131% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $2,480 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Palo Alto?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Palo Alto are Downtown North ($3,900/mo), Charleston Meadow ($4,213/mo), and Palo Verde ($4,300/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Palo Alto?
To comfortably afford rent in Palo Alto, you'd need to earn approximately $175,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Palo Alto?
Winter months like December and January offer the best rental deals in Palo Alto, with rents running about 15% lower than peak summer prices. April and May are the most competitive months with higher demand relative to available inventory.
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).