If you\u2019re looking for a rental deal, tenants can find discounts in 60% of Southern California cities.<\/p>\n
My trusty spreadsheet reviewed June\u2019s rent report from ApartmentList<\/a>, which tracks renter costs in 53 cities across the region, with cost estimates that combine government statistics and listing data from its own website.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the math shows: landlords trimmed rents in 32 out of the 53 cities. Rents rose in 20 cities and were unchanged in one city, Vista.<\/p>\n Across the region, the typical rent dropped 0.4% over the past year. Median rents now sit at $1,921 for a one-bedroom and $2,359 for a two-bedroom.<\/p>\n You see, many landlords across Southern California are squeezed.<\/p>\n The economy is cooling, population is stagnant, and a modest construction boom is adding more apartments. So there are more units to fill and less demand from renters.<\/p>\n These rent numbers also parallel a clear divide in the 2026 economy: people with higher incomes are doing better, while those with tighter budgets are still struggling.<\/p>\n In the 32 cities where rents went down, a typical one-bedroom costs $1,828 and a two-bedroom is $2,262.<\/p>\n Note that in 20 cities where rents rose, prices are significantly higher: one-bedrooms went for $2,146, while two-bedrooms cost $2,654.<\/p>\n Market math<\/p>\n Next, look at how prices swung across the region at the metro area level, ranked by the frequency of rent cuts over the past year:<\/p>\n \u2013 Ventura County<\/a>: 80% of cities had declines \u2013 4 of 5 \u2013 with a median dip of 1.5% for rents running $2,136 monthly for one bedrooms and $2,571 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Los Angeles County<\/a>: 79% declines \u2013 11 of 14 cities \u2013 with a median dip of 2.2% and $1,847 for one bedrooms and $2,370 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 San Diego County<\/a>: 63% declines \u2013 5 of 8 cities \u2013 with a median dip of 0.4% and $1,878 for one bedrooms and $2,253 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Inland Empire<\/a>: 54% declines \u2013 7 of 13 cities \u2013 with a median dip of 0.2% and $1,720 for one bedrooms and $1,959 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Orange County<\/a>: 38% declines \u2013 5 of 13 cities\u2013 with a median increase of 0.9% and $2,340 for one bedrooms and $2,747 for two.<\/p>\n City swings<\/p>\n The cities with the biggest rent swings give us more clues about where to find a bargain.<\/p>\n The deepest rent cuts are showing up in Los Angeles and Ventura counties:<\/p>\n \u2013 Santa Monica: Off 6% in a year with $2,215 for one bedrooms and $2,656 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Pomona: Off 5% with $1,515 for one bedrooms and $1,912 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Pasadena: Off 5% with $2,110 for one bedrooms and $2,715 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Oxnard: Off 4% with $1,815 for one bedrooms and $2,047 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Monrovia: Off 4% with $1,712 for one bedrooms and $2,252 for two.<\/p>\n On the flip side, the biggest rent hikes are popping up in the Inland Empire and Orange County.<\/p>\n \u2013 Chino: Up 4% in a year with $1,720 for one bedrooms and $2,204 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Colton: Up 3% with $1,407 for one bedrooms and $1,737 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Newport Beach: Up 3% with $2,836 for one bedrooms and $3,522 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Mission Viejo: Up 3% with $2,413 for one bedrooms and $2,902 for two.<\/p>\n \u2013 Moreno Valley: Up 2% with $1,632 for one bedrooms and $1,856 for two.<\/p>\n Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com<\/a><\/p>\n