Rental numbers for California
0 of 974 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this state are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 4.0%.
- Gross yield
- n/a
- no Zillow rent index
- Median ZIP yield
- 4.0%
- 974 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- n/a
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $764,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $2,801/mo
- median across 974 tier A ZIPs, Aug 2026
Counties
Gross yield uses Zillow county rent where published, otherwise the median ZIP yield
| Siskiyou County | $280,000 | $1,681 | 7.2% | 3.9% | -$590 | +3.9% |
| Lake County | $308,000 | $1,781 | 6.9% | 3.7% | -$711 | +3.9% |
| Del Norte County | $365,000 | $2,075 | 6.8% | 3.8% | -$808 | n/a |
| Kings County | $366,000 | $1,983 | 6.5% | 3.4% | -$939 | +4.1% |
| Yuba County | $419,000 | $2,167 | 6.2% | 3.2% | -$1,141 | -0.3% |
| Fresno County | $407,000 | $2,044 | 6.0% | 3.0% | -$1,164 | +3.4% |
| Madera County | $425,000 | $2,104 | 5.9% | 3.0% | -$1,221 | +1.7% |
| Kern County | $363,000 | $1,785 | 5.9% | 2.7% | -$1,129 | +2.4% |
| Calaveras County | $433,000 | $2,115 | 5.9% | 2.9% | -$1,271 | n/a |
| Merced County | $417,000 | $2,036 | 5.9% | 3.0% | -$1,216 | +1.5% |
| Tulare County | $362,000 | $1,765 | 5.8% | 2.9% | -$1,090 | +3.8% |
| Sutter County | $435,000 | $2,113 | 5.8% | 2.9% | -$1,299 | +0.2% |
| Tehama County | $321,000 | $1,557 | 5.8% | 2.8% | -$972 | +2.5% |
| Nevada County | $614,000 | $2,853 | 5.6% | 2.8% | -$1,879 | +3.9% |
| San Joaquin County | $524,000 | $2,424 | 5.5% | 2.7% | -$1,635 | +1.3% |
| Shasta County | $370,000 | $1,701 | 5.5% | 2.6% | -$1,197 | +4.2% |
| Imperial County | $383,000 | $1,754 | 5.5% | 2.5% | -$1,261 | +7.8% |
| Amador County | $419,000 | $1,915 | 5.5% | 2.6% | -$1,346 | +3.2% |
| San Bernardino County | $549,000 | $2,488 | 5.4% | 2.7% | -$1,727 | +3.0% |
| Stanislaus County | $464,000 | $2,068 | 5.3% | 2.5% | -$1,519 | +1.0% |
| Riverside County | $604,000 | $2,602 | 5.2% | 2.4% | -$2,044 | +2.6% |
| Solano County | $572,000 | $2,458 | 5.1% | 2.4% | -$1,935 | +1.7% |
| Sacramento County | $523,000 | $2,181 | 5.0% | 2.3% | -$1,836 | +1.5% |
| Humboldt County | $426,000 | $1,677 | 4.7% | 2.0% | -$1,574 | +1.9% |
| Mendocino County | $494,000 | $1,913 | 4.7% | 2.0% | -$1,852 | +3.7% |
| Tuolumne County | $389,000 | $1,507 | 4.7% | 1.9% | -$1,484 | +1.4% |
| El Dorado County | $651,000 | $2,516 | 4.6% | 2.1% | -$2,396 | +3.2% |
| Butte County | $398,000 | $1,529 | 4.6% | 1.8% | -$1,537 | +1.8% |
| Placer County | $687,000 | $2,609 | 4.6% | 1.8% | -$2,642 | +1.8% |
| Yolo County | $618,000 | $2,340 | 4.5% | 1.9% | -$2,358 | +2.1% |
| Contra Costa County | $772,000 | $2,922 | 4.5% | 1.9% | -$2,944 | +3.8% |
| San Benito County | $767,000 | $2,877 | 4.5% | 1.9% | -$2,942 | +5.5% |
| Inyo County | $529,000 | $1,861 | 4.2% | 1.6% | -$2,156 | n/a |
| Sonoma County | $785,000 | $2,685 | 4.1% | 1.6% | -$3,160 | +4.1% |
| Ventura County | $872,000 | $2,954 | 4.1% | 1.7% | -$3,500 | +1.4% |
| Glenn County | $364,000 | $1,232 | 4.1% | 1.4% | -$1,548 | n/a |
| Napa County | $871,000 | $2,944 | 4.1% | 1.6% | -$3,513 | +1.0% |
| Monterey County | $843,000 | $2,799 | 4.0% | 1.6% | -$3,407 | +5.1% |
| San Francisco County | $1,424,000 | $4,682 | 3.9% | 1.6% | -$5,776 | +25.2% |
| Los Angeles County | $873,000 | $2,814 | 3.9% | 1.5% | -$3,633 | +1.2% |
| Santa Barbara County | $992,000 | $3,200 | 3.9% | 1.5% | -$4,074 | +3.0% |
| San Diego County | $931,000 | $2,994 | 3.9% | 1.5% | -$3,865 | +2.0% |
| San Luis Obispo County | $898,000 | $2,837 | 3.8% | 1.4% | -$3,783 | +1.9% |
| Santa Cruz County | $1,149,000 | $3,506 | 3.7% | 1.4% | -$4,858 | +3.3% |
| Alameda County | $1,048,000 | $2,948 | 3.4% | 1.0% | -$4,789 | +6.6% |
| Orange County | $1,179,000 | $3,239 | 3.3% | 1.1% | -$5,316 | +2.8% |
| Marin County | $1,465,000 | $3,880 | 3.2% | 1.0% | -$6,698 | +7.4% |
| San Mateo County | $1,581,000 | $3,930 | 3.0% | 0.9% | -$7,374 | +10.0% |
| Santa Clara County | $1,567,000 | $3,821 | 2.9% | 0.8% | -$7,450 | +7.6% |
| Alpine County | $507,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Colusa County | $377,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lassen County | $235,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mariposa County | $392,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Modoc County | $196,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mono County | $757,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Plumas County | $368,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Sierra County | $330,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Trinity County | $258,000 | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Highest-yield ZIP codes in California
Tier A only: Zillow value against Zillow rent
| ZIP | Typical price | Rent | Gross yield | Cash flow /mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92225Blythe | $218,000 | $1,688 | 9.3% | -$188 |
| 95422Clearlake | $208,000 | $1,533 | 8.8% | -$239 |
| 90067Los Angeles | $1,583,000 | $11,198 | 8.5% | -$1,104 |
| 93268Taft | $206,000 | $1,346 | 7.8% | -$437 |
| 93505California City | $275,000 | $1,781 | 7.8% | -$485 |
| 93535Lancaster | $427,000 | $2,754 | 7.8% | -$711 |
| 92386Sugarloaf | $293,000 | $1,875 | 7.7% | -$540 |
| 92637Laguna Woods | $463,000 | $2,913 | 7.5% | -$767 |
| 93552Palmdale | $492,000 | $3,096 | 7.5% | -$918 |
| 95467Hidden Valley Lake | $367,000 | $2,263 | 7.4% | -$727 |
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +0.4%
- Rent, 12 months
- n/a
- Rent minus price growth
- n/a
- Property tax
- 0.70%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $670,793 |
| Aug 2022 | $757,437 |
| Aug 2023 | $736,582 |
| Aug 2024 | $774,109 |
| Aug 2025 | $761,012 |
| Aug 2026 | $764,158 |
Costs that vary by state
- Effective property tax
- 0.70%
- Census ACS 2024
- Landlord insurance default
- $1,986/yr
- NAIC HO-3 $1,655 x 1.2
- Permits per 1,000 households
- 8.2
- last 12 months
- Median typical price
- $838,000
- tier A ZIPs
Metros
- Bakersfield, CA
- Chico, CA
- Clearlake, CA
- Crescent City, CA
- El Centro, CA
- Eureka, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Hanford, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Madera, CA
- Merced, CA
- Modesto, CA
- Napa, CA
- Oxnard, CA
- Red Bluff, CA
- Redding, CA
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Salinas, CA
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Santa Maria, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Sonora, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Susanville, CA
- Truckee, CA
- Ukiah, CA
- Vallejo, CA
- Visalia, CA
- Yuba City, CA
Questions
- Is California good for rental property?
- 0 of 974 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this state are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 4.0%. Cash flow assumes the typical home in each ZIP, 7.78% with 25% down and the default costs.
- What is the average property tax rate in California?
- About 0.70% of value statewide (Census ACS median taxes paid over median value). Rates vary widely by county; the county table above links to each.
- What does landlord insurance cost in California?
- NAIC's 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium in California was $1,655. Landlord policies usually cost more, so this site assumes $1,986 a year. Quotes depend on the property, coverage and claims history.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
- Building Permits Survey, county monthly files
US Census Bureau. Read: 2025-09 to 2026-08.
New housing units permitted in the last 12 months per 1,000 households, a supply-pressure signal.
- NAIC Homeowners Insurance Report, data for 2023
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Read: 2023.
Average HO-3 homeowners premium by state, multiplied by 1.2 as a landlord-policy assumption.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.