Metro FMR · CBSA 42020 · HUD FY2026

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA metro area - 100% above the US average.

$1,914
1-bedroom FMR
$2,512
2-bedroom FMR
+16.5%
YoY change
+100%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA area rents at $2,512 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 114% above the US average, higher than 97% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#12
priciest of 387 US metros (2BR)
+114%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$100,480
income to afford it (30% rule)
+16.5%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles: #12 priciest nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $93,398, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 24.6% of annual income. It remains below the 30% affordability guide, but is a material part of a median-income household's budget.

The 2-bedroom figure places San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles in the highest-rent tenth of HUD metro areas, using the same FY2026 HUD schedule as the national comparison.

With 281,712 residents, this is a mid-sized metro benchmark rather than a single-neighborhood rent quote.

That budget pressure matches a top-decile 2-bedroom FMR nationally (#12 of 387 HUD-tracked metros).

A two-bedroom FMR sits at the edge of the 30% guide for a median-income household, taking 32.3% of recorded median income before utilities outside FMR and other household costs.

Observed renter burden: 54.2% of the 41,494 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from the FY2026 HUD FMR benchmark.

ACS median household income lags the FY2026 HUD FMR schedule. The income share is a same-metro cross-source read (Census ACS B19013 vs HUD FMR), not a same-vintage ratio.

Studio

$1,732/mo

22.3% of median income

1 Bedroom

$1,914/mo

24.6% of median income

2 Bedroom

$2,512/mo

32.3% of median income

3 Bedroom

$3,370/mo

43.3% of median income

4 Bedroom

$3,861/mo

49.6% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·42020

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles: $1,914/mo 1BR · #12 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 42020

  • CBSA 42020
  • 1BR-FMR $1,914
  • 2BR-FMR $2,512
  • RANK-UPPER #12
  • YOY-SURGE +16.5%
  • VSUS-HIGH +100%
  • IN-ST-HIGH #15 CA
  • INC-MID 25%
  • POP-MAJOR 282K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Bakersfield-Delano
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,723–$2,105
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Bakersfield-Delano ($774 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Where San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles sits among every US metro

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 387 HUD metro areas

$2,512 Top 3% higher than 97% of 387 metro areas

$800–$1,000: 28 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 114 metro areas (29%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 95 metro areas (25%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 52 metro areas (13%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 41 metro areas (11%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 26 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 9 metro areas (2%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 5 metro areas (1%). Below this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 5 metro areas (1%). This entry sits in this band. $2,600–$2,800: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 2 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. This metro $800 $4,400 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more metro areas. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #12 nationally

1BR $1,914 (+100% vs US, +16.5% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 42020.

Studio
$1,732
US avg $893
↑17.2% YoY +94% vs US
1 Bedroom
$1,914
US avg $959
↑16.5% YoY +100% vs US
2 Bedroom
$2,512
US avg $1,175
↑16.5% YoY +114% vs US
3 Bedroom
$3,370
US avg $1,525
↑17.1% YoY +121% vs US
4 Bedroom
$3,861
US avg $1,756
↑18.4% YoY +120% vs US

How San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other CA metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles highlighted among 5 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

PlainRent pairs San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles with the 4 nearest HUD 2BR schedules and 4 nearest burden matches outside CA (burden peers exclude the FMR set; pop ≥50k).

2BR FMR · outside CA

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury
CT · 2 BR $2,511/mo
Seattle-Bellevue
WA · 2 BR $2,501/mo
Kalawao County
HI · 2 BR $2,492/mo
Urban Honolulu
HI · 2 BR $2,642/mo

Burden % · outside CA

Nearest 2BR FMR ÷ ACS median income (FY2026).

Cape Coral-Fort Myers
FL · 32.2% of income · 2 BR $1,961/mo
Palm Coast
FL · 32.1% of income · 2 BR $1,806/mo
Flagstaff
AZ · 33.1% of income · 2 BR $1,921/mo
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy
MA · 31.4% of income · 2 BR $2,941/mo

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles: quick answers

What is the average rent in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA is $1,914 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,512 and a studio is $1,732.
How does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA metro area is 100% above the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $1,914 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $2,512 ranks #12 most expensive among 387 US metro areas (the highest-rent tenth of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $76,560 ($6,380/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA area.

Compare San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles vs Bakersfield-Delano →

Data as of FY 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rents. Population and demographic data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

FY 2026 HUD FMR $1,914/mo · 1BR CA

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.