A typical Southern California tenant saw little change in what they paid the landlord over the past year – but the lower your rent, the better the odds your housing costs were falling.

My trusty spreadsheet reviewed January’s rental stats from ApartmentList, which tracks costs by combining federal housing figures and pricing patterns from its own listing service for 51 cities in the six-county Southern California region. The stats include both apartments and rental homes.

Let us start with the regional context.

Southern California’s median one-year change for overall rents across 51 cities was zero. Yes, flat. The typical renter paid $1,942 for a one-bedroom unit or $2,378 for two bedrooms.

The gap

January’s swings were evenly split: rent fell in 25 cities, rose in 25 – and Rancho Santa Margarita had flat rents.

Ponder where rents declined. The median rent drop was 1.6% over the year in these 25 cities. Tenants typically paid $1,799 for a one-bedroom place or $2,268 for two bedrooms.

Now think about where rents rose. A median 1.5% increase was observed in these 25 cities, where typical landlords charged $2,103 for a one-bedroom unit and $2,488 for a two-bedroom unit.

Cities where landlords discounted rents had one-bedroom units that were typically 14% cheaper than places where rents were increasing. And two-bedroom units cost 6% less.

These price gaps align with a broader economic theme of a highly divided monetary landscape.

The overall business climate is favorable for those fortunate enough to have substantial and reliable incomes and solid finances. It’s a not-so-pretty picture for folks who struggle with jobs and/or salaries with finances that have taken a few lumps.

In addition, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown may be reducing Southern California housing demand, particularly for lower-cost residences.

ApartmentList statistics indicate that Southern California landlords serving individuals with less robust finances are reducing rents to fill their units.

Ups and downs

Curiously, among the past year’s most extreme swings are four cities near the Los Angeles wildfire destruction – two with rents rising, two with costs down.

The economic impact of the fires remains unclear both within the disaster zones and across the region’s broader economy.

Where are rents falling the fastest in Southern California?

Three of the top five are geographically distant from job hubs, suggesting a return to the office for many workers may be cooling some rents.

Palm Desert: Off 4.8% in a year, $1,185 for one bedrooms, $1,687 for two.

Calabasas: Off 4.5% in a year, $2,867 for one bedrooms, $3,154 for two.

Santa Monica: Off 3.8% in a year, $2,261 for one bedrooms, $2,710 for two.

West Hollywood: Off 3% in a year, $1,942 for one bedrooms, $2,522 for two.

Oxnard: Off 3% in a year, $1,793 for one bedrooms, $2,022 for two.

And where are the biggest jumps? Three of the top five are from wealthy Orange County.

Newport Beach: Up 4% in a year, $2,807 for one bedrooms, $3,486 for two.

Costa Mesa: Up 3.8% in a year, $2,343 for one bedrooms, $2,704 for two.

Lake Forest: Up 3.4% in a year, $2,795 for one bedrooms, $3,337 for two.

Monrovia: Up 3.1% in a year, $1,749 for one bedrooms, $2,301 for two.

Pasadena: Up 2.8% in a year, $2,140 for one bedrooms, $2,753 for two.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

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