But how high is it, and what is considered fair market rent across the Bay Area? The range, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, stretches from $1,341 in Solano County to $3,121 in the region defined as San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties.
Fair market rent is used to set amounts for housing vouchers, as well as to set project rates for development. Here’s the breakdown:#1. San Francisco/Marin/San Mateo – $3,121 fair market rent#2. Santa Clara – $2,522 fair market rent#3. Alameda/Contra Costa – $2,329 fair market rent#4. Sonoma – $1,843 fair market rent#5. Napa – $1,575 fair market rent#6. Solano – $1,341 fair market rentNot all of the Bay Area is above the state average; fair market rent for California as a whole is $1,699 per month. The Peninsula, Santa Clara, and the East Bay have the top three highest rents in California, with Sonoma coming in seventh, Napa 12th, and Solano 15th, out of 51 total regions.