The highest rents in America
The 25 ZIP codes in the U.S. where renting costs the most, by HUD’s fair market rent for a 2-bedroom unit: what recent movers typically pay, including utilities. Santa Cruz, CA (95060) tops the list at $5,260 a month.
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Top 25 by 2-bedroom rent
| # | Town | ZIP code | 2-bedroom rent | 1-bedroom | 3-bedroom | Median home value | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz, CA | 95060 | $5,260 | $4,190 | $6,840 | $1,207,200 | 46,268 |
| 2 | Santa Cruz, CA | 95062 | $5,100 | $4,060 | $6,630 | $1,076,500 | 35,607 |
| 3 | San Mateo, CA | 94404 | $5,050 | $4,100 | $6,600 | $1,714,400 | 35,881 |
| 4 | Santa Cruz, CA | 95065 | $4,980 | $3,970 | $6,480 | $1,228,500 | 7,997 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | 94107 | $4,930 | $4,010 | $6,440 | $1,222,500 | 31,823 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | 94158 | $4,930 | $4,010 | $6,440 | $1,429,600 | 11,314 |
| 7 | Aptos, CA | 95003 | $4,920 | $3,920 | $6,400 | $1,198,700 | 24,951 |
| 8 | Corte Madera, CA | 94925 | $4,710 | $3,830 | $6,160 | $1,755,200 | 10,077 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | 94123 | $4,650 | $3,780 | $6,080 | $2,000,000+* | 24,054 |
| 10 | Newport Beach, CA | 92660 | $4,590 | $3,920 | $6,240 | $2,000,000+* | 34,890 |
| 11 | Ross, CA | 94957 | $4,520 | $3,670 | $5,910 | $2,000,000+* | 2,321 |
| 12 | Boston, MA | 02110 | $4,510 | $3,770 | $5,370 | $1,177,500 | 2,342 |
| 13 | Hanscom Afb, MA | 01731 | $4,510 | $3,770 | $5,370 | — | 2,110 |
| 14 | San Mateo, CA | 94403 | $4,490 | $3,650 | $5,870 | $1,746,300 | 43,276 |
| 15 | Scotts Valley, CA | 95066 | $4,490 | $3,580 | $5,840 | $1,136,400 | 15,135 |
| 16 | Los Gatos, CA | 95033 | $4,480 | $3,650 | $5,890 | $1,417,200 | 9,600 |
| 17 | Capitola, CA | 95010 | $4,480 | $3,570 | $5,830 | $828,700 | 8,707 |
| 18 | Brooklyn, NY | 11201 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,110,700 | 70,674 |
| 19 | Brooklyn, NY | 11215 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,622,300 | 70,441 |
| 20 | New York, NY | 10023 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,358,100 | 69,455 |
| 21 | New York, NY | 10024 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,687,800 | 63,115 |
| 22 | Brooklyn, NY | 11238 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,099,700 | 58,345 |
| 23 | New York, NY | 10128 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,442,000 | 57,976 |
| 24 | New York, NY | 10003 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $1,123,200 | 53,560 |
| 25 | New York, NY | 10016 | $4,460 | $4,100 | $5,640 | $905,000 | 52,971 |
How we rank
Rents are HUD’s Small Area Fair Market Rents: the 40th percentile of what recent movers pay for a typical unit in each ZIP code, including utilities, adjusted forward to the current year. They’re published every fall and used to set housing voucher limits. Asking rents for newly renovated or luxury units can be higher.
We leave out ZIP codes with fewer than 2,000 residents. ZIP codes that span more than one HUD area use the average.
Questions
Where is rent highest in America?
Santa Cruz, CA (95060), where HUD’s fair market rent for a 2-bedroom is $5,260 a month.
Is it cheaper to buy in high-rent areas?
Sometimes. Compare a year’s rent with home prices: if homes cost less than about 15 years of rent, buying often wins over time. Our rent vs. buy tool runs the full numbers.
More rankings
* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates; FEMA National Risk Index (not endorsed by FEMA); U.S. EPA National Walkability Index; Redfin (price per square foot); HUD FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents. Town names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).