Average Rent in Santa Maria CA
11 apartment buildings, 31 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.
Avg Rent
$2,628/mo
Cheapest
$2,054/mo
Properties
11
Units
31
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 11 properties in Santa Maria CA.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
Santa Maria CA Rent Prices
All 11 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
Amara Apartments
329 W Carmen Ln, Santa Maria
Centennial Gardens
800 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria
St. Claire Apartment Homes
1735 Biscayne St, Santa Maria
511 West Cook Street
511 W Cook St, Santa Maria
826 Cook Street Apartments
826 W Cook St, Santa Maria
La Vista
740 S Western Ave, Santa Maria
Montiavo
2460 Rubel Way, Santa Maria
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amara Apartments 329 W Carmen Ln, Santa Maria | $2,054 | $2,203 | $3.01 | 3.5 | 11 |
| 2 | Centennial Gardens 800 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria | $2,328 | $2,690 | $2.52 | 4.6 | 10 |
| 3 | St. Claire Apartment Homes 1735 Biscayne St, Santa Maria | $3,004 | $3,033 | $2.41 | 4.3 | 10 |
| 4 | 511 West Cook Street 511 W Cook St, Santa Maria | -- | -- | -- | 4.3 | 0 |
| 5 | 826 Cook Street Apartments 826 W Cook St, Santa Maria | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | La Vista 740 S Western Ave, Santa Maria | -- | -- | -- | 4.3 | 0 |
| 7 | Montiavo 2460 Rubel Way, Santa Maria | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 0 |
Explore Each Property
Amara Apartments
3.5329 W Carmen Ln, Santa Maria
Centennial Gardens
4.6800 W Battles Rd, Santa Maria
St. Claire Apartment Homes
4.31735 Biscayne St, Santa Maria
511 West Cook Street
4.3511 W Cook St, Santa Maria
826 Cook Street Apartments
5826 W Cook St, Santa Maria
La Vista
4.3740 S Western Ave, Santa Maria
Santa Maria CA Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in Santa Maria CA is $2,628 per month, based on 31 units across 11 apartment communities. Prices range from $2,054 at Amara Apartments to $3,004 at St. Claire Apartment Homes.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bed | $2,077/mo | $2,054/mo | 5 |
| 2 Bed | $2,441/mo | $2,258/mo | 13 |
| 3 Bed | $3,026/mo | $2,698/mo | 13 |
Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in Santa Maria CA, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in Santa Maria CA averages $2,077/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $2,441/mo. At the local median household income of $84,617, that works out to 37% of gross income, above the 30 percent affordability ceiling, a stretched-budget market.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Santa Maria CA at $1,842/mo. The current tracked market average runs 43% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Santa Maria CA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Santa Maria CA?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$105,000/year
30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $2,628/mo.
Comfortable income
$126,000/year
25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($2,054/mo), you need to earn at least $82,000/year.
Median household income in Santa Maria CA is $84,617 , about 33% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in Santa Maria CA
Overall prices in Santa Maria CA runs above the national average by about 14% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 113.7, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Santa Maria CA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $2,628 |
| Utilities | $754 |
| Groceries | $567 |
| Transportation | $1,798 |
| Healthcare | $877 |
| Other goods and services | $1,403 |
| Estimated total | $8,027/mo |
Population
109,880
Median household income
$84,617
Census median rent
$1,842/mo
Rent as % of income
33.6%
Median age
29.3
Mean commute
22 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in California
How Santa Maria CA rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs Santa Maria CA | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,845 | +8% | 44 |
| San Diego, CA | $3,199 | +22% | 25 |
| Riverside, CA | $2,516 | -4% | 25 |
| Sacramento, CA | $2,265 | -14% | 24 |
| Anaheim, CA | $2,813 | +7% | 22 |
| Oakland, CA | $3,308 | +26% | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Santa Maria CA?
The average rent in Santa Maria CA is $2,628 per month, based on 31 units across 11 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in Santa Maria CA?
The lowest available rent in Santa Maria CA starts at $2,054 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Santa Maria CA?
1-bedroom apartments in Santa Maria CA average $2,077/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $2,054/mo across 5 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Maria CA?
2-bedroom apartments in Santa Maria CA average $2,441/mo. Units start from $2,258/mo across 13 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in Santa Maria CA
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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