California · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Riverside County, CA

Prices around Riverside County, CA run 6.4% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $93,074 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,201 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $88,040 a year.

Riverside County, CA at a glance

Median household income

$93,074$7,756 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,201HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)106.4+6.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity34.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential CA
Population2,478,600Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Riverside County, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,201Monthly market rent
Share of gross income28.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$88,040To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,327At 30% of $93,074
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Riverside County, CA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Riverside County, CA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,692$20,304$67,68021.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,777$21,324$71,08022.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,201$26,412$88,04028.4%
3-Bedroom Home$2,912$34,944$116,48037.5%
4-Bedroom Home$3,514$42,168$140,56045.3%

Rent in Riverside County, CA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Riverside County, CA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $93,074 a year ($7,756 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,878/moRent ($2,201 2-BR), utilities (~$313/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,327/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,551/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $93,074 leaves after California taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and California tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$93,074
$35,000$190,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$93,074
Net 75%
Fed 13%
CA 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$69,897After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,825Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,688Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate24.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$11,646 / yr
California state income tax$4,411 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$7,120 / yr

Living in Riverside County, CA: common questions

What is the median household income in Riverside County, CA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Riverside County, CA is $93,074 per year (approximately $7,756 per month).

What is the average rent in Riverside County, CA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,692 for a studio, $1,777 for one bedroom, $2,201 for two, $2,912 for three and $3,514 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Riverside County, CA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.4% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 106.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Riverside County, CA?

To keep a $2,201 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $88,040 a year, or $7,337 a month. That is 95% of what the typical household in Riverside County, CA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Riverside County, CA?

On the local median income of $93,074 ($7,756 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,878 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,327 for everything else and $1,551 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,201 takes 57% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Riverside County, CA?

Homes in California paid 34.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $313. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.