Rent by ZIP code in Hayward
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94545 | Alameda County | $2,796 | +5% |
| 94544 | Alameda County | $2,695 | +1% |
| 94541 | Alameda County | $2,646 | -1% |
| 94542 | Alameda County | $2,465 | -8% |
Rent by bedroom count in Hayward
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Alameda County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,088 | -2.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $2,290 | -4.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,805 | -3.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $3,592 | -3.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $4,250 | -3.7% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Hayward?
Typical rent across Alameda County is $2,948 as of August 2026. That is up 6.7% from a year earlier and up 15.0% over five years. The Hayward rent report compares these rents with Section 8 voucher rents ZIP by ZIP.
| Year | Typical rent, Alameda County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $2,625 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $2,700 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $2,690 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | $2,714 | +0.9% |
| 2025 | $2,797 | +3.0% |
| 2026 (through August) | $2,948 | +5.4% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Hayward rent questions
- What is the average rent in Hayward, CA?
- Typical asking rent in Hayward is $2,671 a month as of July 2026, across 4 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $2,465 to $2,796.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Hayward?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Alameda County is $2,805 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $2,290 and a three bedroom is $3,592. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Hayward?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Alameda County is $2,948 as of August 2026, up 6.7% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Hayward?
- ZIP 94542 has the lowest typical asking rent in Hayward at $2,465 a month, compared with $2,671 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Hayward?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Hayward rent of $2,671, that is about $8,013 a month, or $96,156 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Hayward sits in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA metro area.