San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad Rental Market Update: September 2026
By Crestmont Property Management
-11.6% Spring Valley 3-bedroom apartment rents, year over year. Median now $2,955.
Rents below are September 2026 medians across the neighborhoods Crestmont Property Management manages, refreshed every month. This update is about the rental market itself: what properties rent for, how neighborhoods compare, and which way rents are moving.
Spring Valley 3-bedroom apartments posted a median rent of $2,955 in September 2026, down -11.6% from a year ago. That year-over-year decline stands out among larger drops in family-sized units, including Allied Gardens / San Carlos and College Area. Across the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area, other segments show sizable gains, particularly in La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Pacific Beach and Mira Mesa.
Rents by neighborhood, September 2026
| Neighborhood | 3-bed single-family | vs last year | 2-bed apartment | vs last year | Rental saturation | Days to lease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad | $4,615 | -3.2% | $3,200 | +3.3% | 43.3% | 22 |
| Downtown San Diego | — | — | $3,665 | +1.3% | 51.3% | 34 |
| Spring Valley | $3,723 | +3.7% | $2,140 | +1.4% | 19.1% | 21 |
| Carlsbad / Oceanside | $4,331 | -1.3% | $2,962 | -1.7% | 37.1% | 23 |
| Chula Vista | $3,489 | -6.7% | $2,718 | +3.6% | 20.8% | 21 |
| Bonita | — | — | — | — | 17.8% | — |
| Mira Mesa | $3,954 | +0.9% | $3,187 | +11.2% | 26.4% | 24 |
| Coronado | — | — | $3,698 | +9.8% | 43.5% | 25 |
| Golden Hill | — | — | $2,556 | +4.5% | 27.5% | 28 |
| Hillcrest | — | — | $3,100 | +10.7% | 26.3% | 30 |
See all 45 Crestmont Property Management neighborhoods
What moved this month
In September 2026, La Jolla 1-bedroom apartments at $2,880 (+18.9%) and Torrey Pines 1-bedroom apartments at $2,880 (+18.9%) led the year-over-year gains, followed by Pacific Beach 2-bedroom apartments at $3,487 (+13.1%) and Mira Mesa 2-bedroom apartments at $3,187 (+11.2%). The steepest declines were in Allied Gardens / San Carlos 4-bedroom apartments at $2,862 (-48.0%), College Area 4-bedroom condos / townhomes at $4,318 (-20.1%), Lemon Grove 3-bedroom apartments at $3,094 (-14.9%), and Paradise Hills 1-bedroom apartments at $1,986 (-12.6%).
Where a 3-bedroom costs the most, and the least
Across the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area, La Jolla holds the highest 3-bedroom single-family median at $6,380, while City Heights is lowest at $3,411. The gap between these two neighborhoods is $2,969, highlighting a wide spread in 3-bedroom single-family pricing.
What this means if you own a rental in these neighborhoods
In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro, September showed mixed rent movements across apartments and single-family homes. Spring Valley’s 3-bedroom apartment median at $2,955 was down -11.6% vs 1 yr ago, while La Jolla’s 3-bedroom single-family median was $6,380. Apartments in La Jolla and Torrey Pines 1-bedrooms at $2,880 (+18.9%) and Pacific Beach 2-bedrooms at $3,487 (+13.1%) moved up, contrasting with declines in Allied Gardens / San Carlos 4-bedroom apartments at $2,862 (-48.0%). Metro vacancy was 3.5% (-3.1% vs 1 yr ago).
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By neighborhood, September 2026
Bonita
In Bonita, rental saturation reached 17.8% in September 2026, up 38.2% over the past year, highlighting this area’s growing spread position within the metro’s rental landscape.
Carlsbad
In Carlsbad in September 2026, smaller apartments and larger homes moved in different directions: 1-bedroom apartments rose to a median $2,756 (+3.1% monthly, +6.2% yearly) while 3-bedroom single-family homes eased to $4,615 (-2.2% monthly, -3.2% yearly), with rental saturation at 43.3% (+26.2% 1 yr).
Carlsbad / Oceanside
In Carlsbad / Oceanside for September 2026, 1-bedroom apartments at a median $2,574 sit +7.3% above the area average, while 2-bedrooms at $2,962 are -2.1% below. Larger homes lean softer vs area, with 3-bedroom apartments at $4,164 (+7.2%) but 4-bedroom single-family homes at $5,118, -2.3% vs area. Rental saturation is 37.1%.
Chula Vista
In Chula Vista, September 2026 shows a clear days-on-market shift: 1-bedroom apartments at a median $2,082 are taking 28 days on market (+33.1% 1 yr), while 3-bedroom apartments at $3,461 are at 30 days (+32.2% 1 yr) and 3-bedroom single-family homes at $3,489 are at 21 days (+3.1% 1 yr).
Coronado
In Coronado, 1-bedroom apartments sit at a median $2,678, down -0.7% month over month and -1.8% year over year, while 2-bedroom apartments at $3,698 are up +7.0% on the month and +9.8% on the year, and 4-bedroom single-family homes lead at $6,980, the highest median among our 4-bedroom single-family homes.
Downtown San Diego
In Downtown San Diego, September 2026 rents remain elevated while days on market stretch. 1-bedrooms sit at a median $2,841 (+2.5% vs last month, +8.2% vs 1 yr ago) with 35 days on market, and rental saturation at 51.3% (+28.1% 1 yr) highlights a notable shift in market pace.
Golden Hill
In Golden Hill, 1-bedroom apartments at a median $2,129 are up +10.9% month over month and +6.6% year over year, while 1-bedroom single-family homes at $2,123 are down -1.6% monthly and -5.4% annually, highlighting type divergence as rental saturation reaches 27.5% (+12.3% 1 yr).
Hillcrest
In Hillcrest, 1-bedroom apartments posted a median $2,305, up +0.6% month over month and +5.1% year over year, while 2-bedrooms reached $3,100, up +0.9% monthly and +10.7% annually. Rental saturation rose to 26.3% (+21.8% 1 yr), with days on market climbing to 27 and 30 respectively.
Mira Mesa
In Mira Mesa, 1-bedroom apartments at a median $2,510 and 2-bedrooms at $3,187 are taking 28 days on market, while 3-bedroom apartments at $4,306 sit 26 days, showing a clear days-on-market shift as rental saturation reaches 26.4%.
Spring Valley
In Spring Valley, 1-bedroom apartments reached a median $1,992, up +4.9% vs 1 yr ago, while 3-bedroom apartments fell -11.6% to $2,955, the lowest 3-bedroom apartment median among our neighborhoods. Rental saturation rose to 19.1% (+21.8% 1 yr).
Across these neighborhoods, September 2026
Averaging the neighborhood medians above, a 3-bedroom single-family rents for about $4,372 a month and a 2-bedroom apartment for about $3,025. The range between neighborhoods runs $3,411 to $6,380 for the 3-bedroom single-family and $2,131 to $4,168 for the 2-bedroom apartment.
Metro vacancy (San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, metro-wide): 3.5%, -3.1% from a year ago.
Questions owners are asking, September 2026
- What does a 3-bedroom single-family rent for in La Jolla in 2026?
- In September 2026, a 3-bedroom single-family home in La Jolla rents for $6,380.
- What does a 3-bedroom apartment rent for in Spring Valley right now?
- In September 2026, a 3-bedroom apartment in Spring Valley rents for about $2,955 per month.
- Are rents going up in Spring Valley?
- In September 2026, 3-bedroom apartments in Spring Valley averaged $2,955, which is -11.6% compared with 1 year earlier. Based on this change, rents in Spring Valley are going down for this property type.
- Which Crestmont Property Management neighborhoods had 3-bedroom single-family rents fall this year?
- In September 2026, 3-bedroom single-family rents were lower year over year in all Crestmont Property Management neighborhoods listed: Carlsbad, Rancho Penasquitos, Carlsbad / Oceanside, Allied Gardens / San Carlos, Serra Mesa, Lemon Grove, La Mesa and Chula Vista.
- How much more does a 3-bedroom apartment cost in Pacific Beach than in Spring Valley?
- In September 2026, a 3-bedroom apartment in Pacific Beach costs $2,189 more than in Spring Valley, with Pacific Beach at $5,144 and Spring Valley at $2,955.
- Is College Area rent going up or down?
- In September 2026 in College Area, rent trends are mixed. 1-bedroom apartments at $1,823 (-4.9% 1 yr), 3-bedroom apartments at $3,189 (-5.0% 1 yr), 4-bedroom apartments at $4,295 (-6.3% 1 yr) and 4-bedroom condos / townhomes at $4,318 (-20.1% 1 yr) are down, while 2-bedroom apartments, 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom single-family homes are up.
- Where are apartment rents rising fastest among Crestmont Property Management neighborhoods?
- In September 2026, apartment rents are rising fastest in La Jolla, where the average 1-bedroom apartment reached $2,880, up 18.9% over the past year.
- What is the most expensive neighborhood Crestmont Property Management manages for a 3-bedroom single-family?
- For September 2026, the most expensive neighborhoods we manage for a 3-bedroom single-family are La Jolla and Torrey Pines, both at $6,380.
Rent data: Estaite Submarket Index, updated monthly. Medians are for September 2026; year-over-year compares with September 2025.
Neighborhood data: Estaite, September 2026.