Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on May 23, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Maria, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on May 23, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Santa Maria, CA rent slipped 1.0% year over year, with a current median of $2,370/month. Renters are paying $115 less per month on average than last year, with a notable month-over-month decline of 2.4%.
Compared to national trends
Santa Maria, CA runs 21.6% more expensive than the $1,949/month national median, positioning it as a pricier market with a total of 80 rentals available.
Price ranges
Studios in Santa Maria rent for about $1,440/month, 1-bedrooms around $1,990/month, and 2-bedrooms near $2,392/month, with 3-bedrooms at $3,200/month and 4+ bedrooms at $3,995/month. Houses command a median of $2,775/month, while apartments sit at $2,100/month, offering a wide range of options for renters.
Neighborhood spotlight
Bradley Square rents fell 28.8% year over year to $2,258/month, and Donovan Park declined 25.0% to $2,100/month. These declines contrast with the citywide 1.0% slip, showing localized cooling in these neighborhoods.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Maria
$2,370/mo
1%vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Maria is $2,370 per month as of May 2026. This is 22% above the national average rent, or $421 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Maria
80
for rent on Zumper.com as of May 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 2% over the last month and have decreased by 1% 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 $2,100, whereas a house costs $2,775. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Maria run $1,986 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,265.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,440 |  2% | 3% | |
1 bedroom | $1,990 | 1% | 3% | |
2 bedroom | $2,392 | No Change | 11% | |
3 bedroom | $3,200 | 2% | 7% | |
4 bedroom | $3,995 | 1% | 9% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Adam Park | $2,150 | |
Bradley Square | $2,258 | |
Donovan Park | $2,100 | |
Los Cerros | $2,400 | |
Morro Estates | $2,395 | |
North Preisker Ranch | $2,110 | |
Pioneer Village Estates | $2,195 | |
Rancho Estates | $1,995 | |
Tanglewood | $2,235 | |
Westgate Ranch | $2,372 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,100 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,585 | 1% | No Change | |
Houses | $2,775 | 6% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,150 | 2% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$1,440
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
3%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,990
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,392
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
11%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,200
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
7%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$3,995
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
9%
Bradley Square
Average rent
$2,258
Adam Park
Average rent
$2,150
Tanglewood
Average rent
$2,235
Donovan Park
Average rent
$2,100
Morro Estates
Average rent
$2,395
Los Cerros
Average rent
$2,400
Pioneer Village Estates
Average rent
$2,195
North Preisker Ranch
Average rent
$2,110
Rancho Estates
Average rent
$1,995
Westgate Ranch
Average rent
$2,372
Apartments
Average rent
$2,100
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$2,585
Last 30 days
1%
Houses
Average rent
$2,775
Last 30 days
6%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,150
Last 30 days
2%
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
22%higher than the national median
49%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Maria, CA is 18% lower than the median rent in Arroyo Grande, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,900
8%$2,612
4%$2,300
7%$2,147
4%$2,400
21%$2,195
45%$2,950
23%$2,250
15%$3,100
18%$3,000
8%$3,750
20%$2,514
14%Discover rentals in Santa Maria, CA
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Santa Maria
504 Central Ave #D, Santa Maria, CA 93454
2 beds
1 bath
$1,875
Apartment for rent
Available Jun 1
3d ago
House for rent in Santa Maria
2 beds
1 bath
$2,000
House for rent
1d ago
1215 Mira Flores Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
2 beds
1 bath
$2,095
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Townhouse for rent in Santa Maria
2 beds
1 bath
$2,450
$2,200
Price drop
House for rent
14h ago
3519 Mercury Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,995–$2,950
Apartment for rent
8h ago
534 E Boone St, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,694–$3,399
Apartment for rent
10h ago
1245 W Sonya Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93458
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,121–$3,397
Apartment for rent
5h ago
4036 Cedarhurst Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,189–$3,317
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Parke Orcutt, Santa Maria, CA 93455
2–3 beds
2 baths
$2,695–$3,245
Apartment for rent
4h ago
1311 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$1,350–$2,150
Apartment for rent
5h ago
4036 Cedarhurst Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,189–$3,317
Price drop
Apartment for rent
8h ago
534 E Boone St, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,694–$3,399
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Parke Orcutt, Santa Maria, CA 93455
2–3 beds
2 baths
$2,695–$3,245
Apartment for rent
4h ago
1311 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$1,350–$2,150
Apartment for rent
5h ago
4036 Cedarhurst Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,189–$3,317
Price drop
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Townhouse for rent in Santa Maria
2 beds
1 bath
$2,450
$2,200
Price drop
House for rent
8h ago
600-606 S. School & 504 E. Central Avenue, Santa Maria, CA 93454
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,500–$1,875
Apartment for rent
4h ago
1311 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458
1 bed
1 bath
$1,550
Apartment for rent
5h ago
4036 Cedarhurst Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455
2 beds
1 bath
$2,409–$3,317
Price drop
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Condo for rent in Santa Maria
1 bed
1 bath
$1,684
Condo 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 $2,370 per month as of May 16, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Santa Maria?
Average rent prices in Santa Maria have decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 1% since last year.
How does Santa Maria rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Maria is 22% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $421 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Maria?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Maria are Rancho Estates ($1,995/mo), Donovan Park ($2,100/mo), and North Preisker Ranch ($2,110/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 $95,000/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?
Santa Maria's 2025 rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging around $1,800 per month, while two-bedroom units rent for around $2,400 monthly. One-bedroom rents increased 4% from the previous year, but two-bedroom prices declined 5.7% over the same period.
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).