States › California › Hillcrest

Is Hillcrest, CA expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 32 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,33524% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$49,918about $4,160/month · 43% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$272,70018% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 67% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.5 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $53,400 a year. That is $26 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of California. It is number 53 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Hillcrest
$1,335
Home Gardens
$2,190
Alum Rock
$3,500+
Malibu
$3,500+
Farmersville
$1,181
Lake Arrowhead
$3,154
Garden Acres
$1,436

How much do households earn in Hillcrest?

Under $25k
23.0%
$25k–50k
27.3%
$50k–100k
26.7%
$100k–150k
6.6%
$150k+
7.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 13.8% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Hillcrest

SizeHillcrestU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,033$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,300$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,417$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Hillcrest overall?

Everyday prices in California overall are 11% above the U.S. average (index 110.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
154
Goods (food, clothes…)
106
Utilities
159
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Hillcrest, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Hillcrest

🏛️ Property tax$2,680a year · 0.98% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$209a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Hillcrest

Commute to work22 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home50.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line31.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment8.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hillcrest?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $557 a month less.

Renting
$1,335
Owning
$1,892

Owning assumes a typical $272,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $27,270 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Hillcrest, CA?

Renting in Hillcrest costs a median of about $1,335 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Hillcrest?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $53,400 a year, or $26 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Hillcrest cheap or expensive?

Hillcrest is rated Expensive: rent takes 32.1% of the typical household income of $49,918. It ranks 53rd cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Hillcrest?

The median homeowner in Hillcrest pays $2,680 a year in property taxes, about 0.98% of the median home value.

Is Hillcrest more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in California are 11% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Hillcrest?

The median home value in Hillcrest is $272,700, about 5.5 times the typical yearly household income.

10,511 people live in Hillcrest. Numbers are typical (middle) values.