California

In California, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,249. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $4,162 monthly or $49,940 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $24.01.

In California, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $8.00. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 120 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 3.0 minimum wage earner(s) working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable.

In California, the estimated mean (average) wage for a renter is $16.67 an hour. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment at this wage, a renter must work 58 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, working 40 hours per week year-round, a household must include 1.4 worker(s) earning the mean renter wage in order to make the two-bedroom FMR affordable.

Monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for an individual are $870 in California. If SSI represents an individual's sole source of income, $261 in monthly rent is affordable, while the FMR for a one-bedroom is $1,022

A unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income.


For an explanation of these data, see How to use the Numbers / Where the Numbers Come From.

If necessary, use the scroll bar at the bottom of the table to view additional jurisdictions.

 CaliforniaSan Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA *
Number of Households (2000)
Total11,502,870994,677
Renter4,956,633443,188
% Renter43%45%
2008 Area Median Income1
Annual$69,999$72,100
Monthly$5,833$6,008
30% of AMI2$21,000$21,630
Maximum Affordable3 Monthly Housing Cost by % of Family AMI
30%$525$541
50%$875$901
80%$1,400$1,442
100%$1,750$1,803
2008 Fair Market Rent (FMR)4
Zero-Bedroom$875$978
One-Bedroom$1,022$1,117
Two-Bedroom$1,249$1,355
Three-Bedroom$1,732$1,976
Four-Bedroom$2,023$2,382
% Change from 2000 Base Rent to 2008 FMR
Zero-Bedroom44%55%
One-Bedroom44%55%
Two-Bedroom44%55%
Three-Bedroom45%55%
Four-Bedroom45%55%
Annual Income Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom$35,014$39,120
One-Bedroom$40,875$44,680
Two-Bedroom$49,940$54,200
Three-Bedroom$69,298$79,040
Four-Bedroom$80,902$95,280
Percent of Family AMI Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom50%54%
One-Bedroom58%62%
Two-Bedroom71%75%
Three-Bedroom99%110%
Four-Bedroom116%132%
2008 Renter Household Income
Estimated Median5$42,384$43,355
Percent Needed to Afford 2 BR FMR118%125%
Rent Affordable at Median$1,060$1,084
% Renters Unable to Afford 2 BR FMR657%60%
2008 Renter Wage
Estimated Mean Renter Wage7$16.67$15.64
Rent Affordable at Mean Wage$867$813
2008 Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage$8.00$8.00
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage$416$416
2008 Supplemental Security Income
Monthly SSI Payment$870$870
Rent Affordable at SSI$261$261
Housing Wage
Zero-Bedroom$16.83$18.81
One-Bedroom$19.65$21.48
Two-Bedroom$24.01$26.06
Three-Bedroom$33.32$38.00
Four-Bedroom$38.90$45.81
Housing Wage as % of Minimum Wage
Zero-Bedroom210%235%
One-Bedroom246%269%
Two-Bedroom300%326%
Three-Bedroom416%475%
Four-Bedroom486%573%
Housing Wage as % of Mean Renter Wage
Zero-Bedroom101%120%
One-Bedroom118%137%
Two-Bedroom144%167%
Three-Bedroom200%243%
Four-Bedroom233%293%
Work Hours/Week at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom8494
One-Bedroom98107
Two-Bedroom120130
Three-Bedroom167190
Four-Bedroom194229
Work Hours/Week at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom4048
One-Bedroom4755
Two-Bedroom5867
Three-Bedroom8097
Four-Bedroom93117
Full-time Jobs at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom2.12.4
One-Bedroom2.52.7
Two-Bedroom3.03.3
Three-Bedroom4.24.8
Four-Bedroom4.95.7
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom1.01.2
One-Bedroom1.21.4
Two-Bedroom1.41.7
Three-Bedroom2.02.4
Four-Bedroom2.32.9
 CaliforniaSan Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA *
 CaliforniaSan Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA *
Number of Households (2000)
Total11,502,870994,677
Renter4,956,633443,188
% Renter43%45%
2008 Area Median Income1
Annual$69,999$72,100
Monthly$5,833$6,008
30% of AMI2$21,000$21,630
Maximum Affordable3 Monthly Housing Cost by % of Family AMI
30%$525$541
50%$875$901
80%$1,400$1,442
100%$1,750$1,803
2008 Fair Market Rent (FMR)4
Zero-Bedroom$875$978
One-Bedroom$1,022$1,117
Two-Bedroom$1,249$1,355
Three-Bedroom$1,732$1,976
Four-Bedroom$2,023$2,382
% Change from 2000 Base Rent to 2008 FMR
Zero-Bedroom44%55%
One-Bedroom44%55%
Two-Bedroom44%55%
Three-Bedroom45%55%
Four-Bedroom45%55%
Annual Income Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom$35,014$39,120
One-Bedroom$40,875$44,680
Two-Bedroom$49,940$54,200
Three-Bedroom$69,298$79,040
Four-Bedroom$80,902$95,280
Percent of Family AMI Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom50%54%
One-Bedroom58%62%
Two-Bedroom71%75%
Three-Bedroom99%110%
Four-Bedroom116%132%
2008 Renter Household Income
Estimated Median5$42,384$43,355
Percent Needed to Afford 2 BR FMR118%125%
Rent Affordable at Median$1,060$1,084
% Renters Unable to Afford 2 BR FMR657%60%
2008 Renter Wage
Estimated Mean Renter Wage7$16.67$15.64
Rent Affordable at Mean Wage$867$813
2008 Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage$8.00$8.00
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage$416$416
2008 Supplemental Security Income
Monthly SSI Payment$870$870
Rent Affordable at SSI$261$261
Housing Wage
Zero-Bedroom$16.83$18.81
One-Bedroom$19.65$21.48
Two-Bedroom$24.01$26.06
Three-Bedroom$33.32$38.00
Four-Bedroom$38.90$45.81
Housing Wage as % of Minimum Wage
Zero-Bedroom210%235%
One-Bedroom246%269%
Two-Bedroom300%326%
Three-Bedroom416%475%
Four-Bedroom486%573%
Housing Wage as % of Mean Renter Wage
Zero-Bedroom101%120%
One-Bedroom118%137%
Two-Bedroom144%167%
Three-Bedroom200%243%
Four-Bedroom233%293%
Work Hours/Week at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom8494
One-Bedroom98107
Two-Bedroom120130
Three-Bedroom167190
Four-Bedroom194229
Work Hours/Week at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom4048
One-Bedroom4755
Two-Bedroom5867
Three-Bedroom8097
Four-Bedroom93117
Full-time Jobs at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom2.12.4
One-Bedroom2.52.7
Two-Bedroom3.03.3
Three-Bedroom4.24.8
Four-Bedroom4.95.7
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom1.01.2
One-Bedroom1.21.4
Two-Bedroom1.41.7
Three-Bedroom2.02.4
Four-Bedroom2.32.9
 CaliforniaSan Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA *

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C H A R T   F O O T N O T E S
1.Fiscal Year 2008 Area Median Income (HUD, 2008).
2.Annual income of 30% of AMI or less is the federal standard for Extremely Low Income households. Does not include HUD-specific adjustments.
3. "Affordable" rents represent the generally accepted standard of spending not more than 30% of gross income on gross housing costs.
4.Fiscal Year 2008 Fair Market Rent (HUD, 2007; final as of October 1).
5.Census 2000 median renter household income, projected to 2008 using HUD's income adjustment factor.
6. Estimated by comparing the percent of renter median household income required to afford the two-bedroom FMR to the percent distribution of renter household income as a percent of the median within the state, as measured using 2006 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample. States are the most local level for which these data are available.
7.Based on 2006 BLS data, adjusted using the ratio of renter to total household income reported in Census 2000, and projected to April 1, 2008.
* 50th percentile FMR (See Appendix A).
†Wage data not available (See Appendix A).
 For a listing of towns within FMR areas in New England States, see Appendix C.

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