Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in California, MD
The average asking rent in California, MD is $1,981/month as of 2026-08. That is +0.2% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,981/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+0.2%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for California, MD.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $1,981 | +0.71% |
| 2026-07 | $1,967 | +0.98% |
| 2026-06 | $1,948 | -0.31% |
| 2026-05 | $1,954 | +0.05% |
| 2026-04 | $1,953 | +0.93% |
| 2026-03 | $1,935 | +2.11% |
| 2026-02 | $1,895 | -0.26% |
| 2026-01 | $1,900 | +0.16% |
| 2025-12 | $1,897 | -1.66% |
| 2025-11 | $1,929 | +0.05% |
| 2025-10 | $1,928 | -1.68% |
| 2025-09 | $1,961 | -0.86% |
| 2025-08 | $1,978 | +0.87% |
| 2025-07 | $1,961 | -0.51% |
| 2025-06 | $1,971 | +1.76% |
| 2025-05 | $1,937 | +0.31% |
| 2025-04 | $1,931 | +2.33% |
| 2025-03 | $1,887 | +1.18% |
| 2025-02 | $1,865 | +1.08% |
| 2025-01 | $1,845 | +0.60% |
| 2024-12 | $1,834 | +1.05% |
| 2024-11 | $1,815 | +0.33% |
| 2024-10 | $1,809 | -0.88% |
| 2024-09 | $1,825 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
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.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices