Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on October 6, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Maria, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on October 6, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Santa Maria rent stands today
Santa Maria, CA rent is essentially flat year over year, with a current median of $2,395/month. Month over month, rents cooled 2.9%, showing a recent pullback in the market.
Compared to national trends
Santa Maria rents run 26.1% more expensive than the $1,900/month national median, placing it in the pricier tier of California metros despite a small total rental inventory of 91 units.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios in Santa Maria rent for $1,500/month, 1-bedrooms for $1,803/month, and 2-bedrooms for $2,347/month, with 3-bedrooms at $3,295/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $4,100/month. This range reflects the variety of bedroom sizes available to renters.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Maria
$2,395/mo
vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Maria is $2,395 per month as of October 2026. This is 26% above the national average rent, or $495 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Maria
91
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Santa Maria rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Santa Maria, CA
Average rent prices in Santa Maria have decreased by 3% over the last month and have remained the same 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
Santa Maria, CA
Rent prices in Santa Maria vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Santa Maria is $2,073, whereas a house costs $3,000. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Maria run $1,821 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,288.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,500 | No Change |  1% | |
1 bedroom | $1,803 |  1% | 7% | |
2 bedroom | $2,347 | 2% | 6% | |
3 bedroom | $3,295 | 1% | 3% | |
4 bedroom | $4,100 | 3% | 4% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Adam Park | $2,187 | |
Bradley Square | $3,200 | |
Crossroads | $2,295 | |
Los Cerros | $1,862 | |
Mid City Acres | $2,197 | |
Morro Estates | $2,380 | |
Pioneer Village Estates | $2,225 | |
Rancho Estates | $2,022 | |
Santa Maria Public Airport | $2,492 | |
Westgate Ranch | $2,441 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,073 | 3% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,935 | 5% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,000 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,238 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$1,500
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,803
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
7%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,347
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
6%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,295
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,100
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
4%
Bradley Square
Average rent
$3,200
Mid City Acres
Average rent
$2,197
Adam Park
Average rent
$2,187
Los Cerros
Average rent
$1,862
Morro Estates
Average rent
$2,380
Rancho Estates
Average rent
$2,022
Pioneer Village Estates
Average rent
$2,225
Westgate Ranch
Average rent
$2,441
Crossroads
Average rent
$2,295
Santa Maria Public Airport
Average rent
$2,492
Apartments
Average rent
$2,073
Last 30 days
3%
Condos
Average rent
$2,935
Last 30 days
5%
Houses
Average rent
$3,000
Last 30 days
1%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,238
The table above reflects average rent prices in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande by all bedroom counts and property types.
Santa Maria
26%higher than the national median
42%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Maria, CA is 11% lower than the median rent in Arroyo Grande, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,700
4%$2,500
7%$2,395
5%$2,000
3%$2,775
43%$3,250
27%$2,895
23%$2,425
9%$3,077
3%$2,895
18%$4,222
6%$2,400
5%Discover rentals in Santa Maria, CA
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Maria
0 E Newlove Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1 bed
1 bath
$850
House for rent
Available Aug 1
5d+ ago
702 E Mill St, Santa Maria, CA 93454
2 beds
1 bath
$1,895
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Santa Maria
2 beds
1 bath
$1,995
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
312 Roschelle Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93458
2 beds
1 bath
$2,000
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Maria
3 beds
2 baths
$4,375
House for rent
3h ago
3519 Mercury Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$1,894–$3,395
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2h ago
101 N Broadway, Santa Maria, CA 93454
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$1,850–$2,495
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Maria
1 bed
1 bath
$2,495
House for rent
11h ago
3235 Orcutt Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93455
2 beds
2 baths
$2,595–$2,695
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Maria
2035 Lassen Dr #A, Santa Maria, CA 93458
1 bed
1 bath
$2,200
House for rent
Available Oct 10
2h ago
329 Carmen Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93458
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,188–$2,399
Apartment for rent
3h ago
3519 Mercury Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$1,894–$3,395
Price drop
Apartment for rent
11h ago
3235 Orcutt Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93455
2 beds
2 baths
$2,595–$2,695
Apartment for rent
2h ago
329 Carmen Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93458
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,188–$2,399
Apartment for rent
6h ago
333 E Enos Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,787–$3,698
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
1311 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$1,350–$1,550
Apartment for rent
2d ago
600-606 S. School & 504 E. Central Avenue, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1 bed
1 bath
$1,500–$1,550
Apartment for rent
2h ago
329 Carmen Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93458
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,188–$2,399
Apartment for rent
6h ago
333 E Enos Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,787–$3,698
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
House for rent in Santa Maria
1 bed
1 bath
$1,550
House for rent
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Frequently asked questions for Santa Maria, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Santa Maria rental market.
How much is rent in Santa Maria?
The average rent in Santa Maria is $2,395 per month as of October 3, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Santa Maria?
Average rent prices in Santa Maria have decreased by 3% over the last month and have remained the same since last year.
How does Santa Maria rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Maria is 26% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $495 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Maria?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Maria are Los Cerros ($1,862/mo), Rancho Estates ($2,022/mo), and Adam Park ($2,187/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Santa Maria?
To comfortably afford rent in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria?
November and December offer the best rental deals in Santa Maria, with November seeing the lowest rents and December having the least competitive conditions. February has the highest rents, with an 8% difference between peak and off-peak months.
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).