States › California › Hillsborough

Is Hillsborough, CA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 17 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$3,500+100% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$250,000+about $20,833/month · 187% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$2,000,000+501% higher than U.S. average

Rent here is among the highest 10% in the country. Household incomes are higher than in 99% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 8.0 years of household income, so buying is hard for most locals. Most homes (93.5%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find. It is a highly educated city: 83.8% of adults have a college degree.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $140,040 a year. That is $67 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of California. It is number 614 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Hillsborough
$3,500+
Del Aire
$2,811
Canyon Lake
$2,765
Valley Center
$1,856
East Bakersfield
$1,789
Sun Village
$1,859
Delhi
$1,351

How much do households earn in Hillsborough?

Under $25k
3.7%
$25k–50k
2.4%
$50k–100k
13.3%
$100k–150k
7.3%
$150k+
71.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 78.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

How expensive is Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Hillsborough

🏛️ Property tax$10,000+a year · 0.50% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$281a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Hillsborough

Commute to work27.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree83.8%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home93.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line5%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hillsborough?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $10,376 a month less.

Renting
$3,500+
Owning
$13,877

Owning assumes a typical $2,000,000+ home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $200,000 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Hillsborough, CA?

Renting in Hillsborough costs a median of about $3,500+ a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $140,040 a year, or $67 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Hillsborough cheap or expensive?

Hillsborough is rated Cheap: rent takes 16.8% of the typical household income of $250,000+. It ranks 614th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Hillsborough?

The median homeowner in Hillsborough pays $10,000+ a year in property taxes, about 0.50% of the median home value.

Is Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough?

The median home value in Hillsborough is $2,000,000+, about 8.0 times the typical yearly household income.

11,099 people live in Hillsborough. Numbers are typical (middle) values.