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Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA is $2,201 per month, ranking #45 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $86,031, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 30.7% of income on housing. Rent in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has increased 9.5% year over year. The area has a population of 4.6M, with 34.6% of households renting.

30.7%
Rent Burdened
of income → rent
$2,201
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$86,031
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,756
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+9.5%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
4.6M
Population
Census ACS
34.6%
Renters
of occupied housing
$493,600
Median Home Value
10.5%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
12.2%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,692
Studio
$1,777
1 Bedroom
$2,201
2 Bedroom
$2,912
3 Bedroom
$3,514
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, a household earning the area median income of $86,031 would spend 30.7% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers households spending more than 30% of income on housing to be "cost-burdened." This means many renters in this area face financial strain from housing costs.

Income Needed for 2BR
$88,040
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$42
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,756
$445 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+58.3% since 2021
$1,3902021$1,5092022$1,7512023$2,0102024$2,3062025$2,2012026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in California is $16.50/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 102.6 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario is 12.2%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$16.50/hr
Hours/Week Needed
102.6 hrs
Poverty Rate
12.2%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario is $493,600. At a median income of $86,031, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 5.7x. 10.5% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$3,455 est. mortgage
vs $2,201 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
10.5%
of housing units

Other Areas in California

Santa Cruz-Watsonville
$4,214/mo
2BR FMR · 46.3% burden
San Francisco
$3,604/mo
2BR FMR · 32.3% burden
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
$3,483/mo
2BR FMR · 26.5% burden
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine
$3,236/mo
2BR FMR · 41.5% burden
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
$3,124/mo
2BR FMR · 39.1% burden

Compare Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

vs Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CAvs San Francisco, CAvs San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Areas With Similar Rent to Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA is $2,201 per month. A studio is $1,692/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,777/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,912/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,756/mo.

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has a rent burden of 30.7%, meaning a household earning the median income of $86,031 would spend 30.7% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers spending 30%+ on housing to be cost-burdened. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $88,040.

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,201/mo is $951 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario ranks #45 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $88,040, or a full-time hourly wage of $42/hour. The area median income is $86,031.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario increased by 9.5% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.