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Rent Tracker
The average asking rent in San Francisco, CA is $3,161/month as of 2026-03. That is +6.4% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$3,161/mo
as of 2026-03
Year-over-Year Change
+6.4%
Monthly ZORI index values for San Francisco, CA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03 | $3,161 | +1.05% |
| 2026-02 | $3,128 | +1.03% |
| 2026-01 | $3,096 | +0.45% |
| 2025-12 | $3,082 | -0.16% |
| 2025-11 | $3,087 | -0.16% |
| 2025-10 | $3,092 | +0.13% |
| 2025-09 | $3,088 | +0.36% |
| 2025-08 | $3,077 | +0.49% |
| 2025-07 | $3,062 | +0.56% |
| 2025-06 | $3,045 | +0.73% |
| 2025-05 | $3,023 | +0.77% |
| 2025-04 | $3,000 | +0.94% |
| 2025-03 | $2,972 | +1.02% |
| 2025-02 | $2,942 | +0.62% |
| 2025-01 | $2,924 | +0.38% |
| 2024-12 | $2,913 | -0.10% |
| 2024-11 | $2,916 | -0.03% |
| 2024-10 | $2,917 | -0.24% |
| 2024-09 | $2,924 | -0.10% |
| 2024-08 | $2,927 | +0.17% |
| 2024-07 | $2,922 | +0.38% |
| 2024-06 | $2,911 | +0.48% |
| 2024-05 | $2,897 | +0.52% |
| 2024-04 | $2,882 | — |
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
Data: Zillow Research ZORI · Updated monthly · Price Inflation Report