California Living Wage by County
The hourly wage it takes to rent a typical home in each of California's 58 counties.
To keep a typical 2-bedroom rental at 30% of income, a full-time worker needs from $20.85 an hour in Modoc County to $81.81 in Santa Cruz County. California's $16.90 minimum wage covers a 1-bedroom in only 1 of 58 counties. Pick a county for rents by size, wages by household, income limits and a calculator.
Housing wage by county
| County | 1-bedroom rent | 1-bedroom wage | 2-bedroom rent | 2-bedroom wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz County | $3,390 | $65.19 | $4,254 | $81.81 |
| Marin County | $3,003 | $57.75 | $3,697 | $71.10 |
| San Francisco | $3,003 | $57.75 | $3,697 | $71.10 |
| San Mateo County | $3,003 | $57.75 | $3,697 | $71.10 |
| Napa County | $2,580 | $49.62 | $3,375 | $64.90 |
| Santa Clara County | $2,778 | $53.42 | $3,272 | $62.92 |
| Santa Barbara County | $2,711 | $52.13 | $3,106 | $59.73 |
| Orange County | $2,610 | $50.19 | $3,057 | $58.79 |
| San Benito County | $2,296 | $44.15 | $3,004 | $57.77 |
| Los Angeles County | $2,402 | $46.19 | $2,964 | $57.00 |
| San Diego County | $2,335 | $44.90 | $2,823 | $54.29 |
| Sonoma County | $2,155 | $41.44 | $2,819 | $54.21 |
| Alameda County | $2,290 | $44.04 | $2,805 | $53.94 |
| Contra Costa County | $2,290 | $44.04 | $2,805 | $53.94 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $2,079 | $39.98 | $2,720 | $52.31 |
| Ventura County | $2,035 | $39.13 | $2,424 | $46.62 |
| Monterey County | $2,009 | $38.63 | $2,416 | $46.46 |
| Solano County | $1,876 | $36.08 | $2,342 | $45.04 |
| El Dorado County | $1,793 | $34.48 | $2,201 | $42.33 |
| Placer County | $1,793 | $34.48 | $2,201 | $42.33 |
| Sacramento County | $1,793 | $34.48 | $2,201 | $42.33 |
| Yolo County | $1,670 | $32.12 | $2,135 | $41.06 |
| Riverside County | $1,705 | $32.79 | $2,103 | $40.44 |
| San Bernardino County | $1,705 | $32.79 | $2,103 | $40.44 |
| San Joaquin County | $1,628 | $31.31 | $2,015 | $38.75 |
| Mono County | $1,550 | $29.81 | $1,927 | $37.06 |
| Nevada County | $1,441 | $27.71 | $1,885 | $36.25 |
| Stanislaus County | $1,378 | $26.50 | $1,803 | $34.67 |
| Amador County | $1,381 | $26.56 | $1,765 | $33.94 |
| Fresno County | $1,363 | $26.21 | $1,685 | $32.40 |
| Mendocino County | $1,287 | $24.75 | $1,683 | $32.37 |
| Kern County | $1,273 | $24.48 | $1,656 | $31.85 |
| Lake County | $1,235 | $23.75 | $1,616 | $31.08 |
| Tuolumne County | $1,271 | $24.44 | $1,603 | $30.83 |
| Sutter County | $1,367 | $26.29 | $1,600 | $30.77 |
| Yuba County | $1,367 | $26.29 | $1,600 | $30.77 |
| Shasta County | $1,209 | $23.25 | $1,581 | $30.40 |
| Humboldt County | $1,188 | $22.85 | $1,554 | $29.88 |
| Calaveras County | $1,172 | $22.54 | $1,533 | $29.48 |
| Alpine County | $1,167 | $22.44 | $1,526 | $29.35 |
| Sierra County | $1,167 | $22.44 | $1,526 | $29.35 |
| Merced County | $1,262 | $24.27 | $1,517 | $29.17 |
| Kings County | $1,183 | $22.75 | $1,512 | $29.08 |
| Butte County | $1,190 | $22.88 | $1,509 | $29.02 |
| Mariposa County | $1,147 | $22.06 | $1,486 | $28.58 |
| Inyo County | $1,346 | $25.88 | $1,465 | $28.17 |
| Madera County | $1,272 | $24.46 | $1,460 | $28.08 |
| Tulare County | $1,108 | $21.31 | $1,450 | $27.88 |
| Plumas County | $1,087 | $20.90 | $1,422 | $27.35 |
| Del Norte County | $1,292 | $24.85 | $1,406 | $27.04 |
| Glenn County | $1,040 | $20.00 | $1,361 | $26.17 |
| Tehama County | $1,040 | $20.00 | $1,361 | $26.17 |
| Imperial County | $1,030 | $19.81 | $1,347 | $25.90 |
| Colusa County | $1,080 | $20.77 | $1,344 | $25.85 |
| Siskiyou County | $959 | $18.44 | $1,254 | $24.12 |
| Lassen County | $1,046 | $20.12 | $1,248 | $24.00 |
| Trinity County | $881 | $16.94 | $1,153 | $22.17 |
| Modoc County | $856 | $16.46 | $1,084 | $20.85 |
Rents are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027), the 40th-percentile rent including utilities. Wage = rent × 12 ÷ 30% ÷ 2,080 hours. Sorted from the highest 2-bedroom wage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the living wage in California?
It depends heavily on the county. Using HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents and the 30%-of-income rule, a full-time worker needs from $20.85 an hour (Modoc County) to $81.81 (Santa Cruz County) to afford a 2-bedroom; the middle county needs $33.17. Food, child care, health care, transportation and taxes come on top.
Can you afford rent on minimum wage in California?
Rarely. At $16.90 an hour, full-time pay covers a 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent at 30% of income in only 1 of 58 counties.
What is a housing wage?
The hourly wage, at 40 hours a week year-round, at which a typical local rent takes 30% of gross income. It is the cost of housing alone, so it is a floor for a living wage, not the whole of it.
Educational estimate only. These figures cover rent and utilities; for a full budget with food, child care, health care, transportation and taxes, see the MIT Living Wage Calculator.