San Diego rental market · Crestmont Realty
San Diego rental market trends, 2025 to 2026
Twelve months of countywide rents and vacancy, the winter dip and summer recovery, and how the year looks segment by segment.
Data as of August 2026 · updated monthly · current numbers always at rentalmarkets.crestmontrealty.com
01 · Twelve months of the county
San Diego rents and vacancy, month by month
| Month | 3BR house median | 2BR apartment median | Vacancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | $4,445 | $2,937 | 3.63% |
| Oct 2025 | $4,442 | $2,951 | 3.69% |
| Nov 2025 | $4,431 | $2,902 | 3.68% |
| Dec 2025 | $4,420 | $2,894 | 3.67% |
| Jan 2026 | $4,392 | $2,872 | 3.77% |
| Feb 2026 | $4,324 | $2,916 | 3.70% |
| Mar 2026 | $4,386 | $2,874 | 3.62% |
| Apr 2026 | $4,368 | $2,910 | 3.54% |
| May 2026 | $4,417 | $2,948 | 3.46% |
| Jun 2026 | $4,451 | $2,972 | 3.50% |
| Jul 2026 | $4,483 | $2,977 | 3.44% |
| Aug 2026 | $4,449 | $2,981 | 3.48% |
Table 1 · Countywide monthly medians and vacancy, September 2025 through August 2026 · Averages across 142 tracked submarkets · Source: Crestmont Realty rental market data
The shape of the year: rents eased through the winter, bottomed in February 2026 at $4,324 for a 3-bedroom house, then climbed through spring to a July peak of $4,483 before settling at $4,449 in August. Vacancy ran the mirror image, peaking at 3.77% in January and tightening to 3.44% by July, with August ticking back up to 3.48%.
02 · What the year adds up to
The county number depends on what you own
Year over year as of August 2026, 3-bedroom houses are up 0.6% and 2-bedroom apartments up 2.0%. Underneath, segments diverge: 4-bedroom apartments are up 2.2% and 1-bedroom apartments up 1.4%, while 3-bedroom condo and townhomes are down 1.4% and 3-bedroom apartments down 0.9%. A single county figure flattens all of that, which is why every neighborhood and segment carries its own page on our data site, updated monthly.
Seasonality has practical weight for owners. A lease that turns over in February meets the softest market of the year; the same unit hitting the market in early summer meets the firmest. Where you have control over lease timing, the twelve rows above are the argument for using it.
03 · Quick answers
Quick answers
What are the San Diego rental market trends for 2025 and 2026?
Rents eased through the winter, bottomed in February 2026, and recovered through the summer. The countywide average 3-bedroom house went from $4,445 in September 2025 to $4,449 in August 2026, and vacancy tightened from 3.63% to 3.48% over the same period.
What is the vacancy rate trend in San Diego in 2026?
Tightening, with a small August uptick. Vacancy peaked at 3.77% in January 2026 and fell to 3.44% by July 2026, the low of the twelve-month period, before edging back to 3.48% in August.
How much did rent increase in San Diego over the last year?
As of August 2026, 3-bedroom houses are up 0.6% year over year and 2-bedroom apartments up 2.0%. Segments diverge underneath, from +2.2% for 4-bedroom apartments to -1.4% for 3-bedroom condo and townhomes, so the answer depends on which property you own.
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Rent data: Crestmont Realty San Diego rental market data · August 2026 · updated monthly.