Cheapest San Fernando Valley Neighborhoods to Rent in 2026

Last updated: October 29, 2026. By the Apartments Club Editorial Team.

The San Fernando Valley is where many Angelenos go when they need more space for the money. The numbers mostly bear that out, but Valley rents vary a lot. In Zillow’s September 2026 data, the cheapest Valley ZIP inside City of LA limits is about $1,143 a month cheaper than Studio City.

This is part two of our Cheapest LA Neighborhoods to Rent series. Part one, the cheapest LA neighborhoods citywide, ranked every City of LA ZIP. This article covers the Valley ZIPs that are part of the City of Los Angeles. Burbank and Glendale are separate cities with their own rules, and we cover them in our Burbank and Glendale guides.

About the numbers: every rent figure in this article comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), ZIP-code level, all homes plus multifamily, smoothed, for September 2026 (the latest month published when we wrote this), compared with September 2025. ZORI measures the typical asking rent for listed units in the middle of the market (roughly the 35th to 65th percentile), so it covers all unit sizes together. It is not a per-bedroom figure, and you will find listings above and below it. ZIP codes don’t line up exactly with neighborhood borders, so read each ZIP as an approximation of the area named next to it.

San Fernando Valley ZIPs ranked by typical rent

ZIP	Area (approx.)	Typical rent, Sep 2026	Change vs Sep 2025
91605	North Hollywood (north)	$2,072	+0.4%
91304	Canoga Park / West Hills	$2,162	-2.0%
91402	Panorama City	$2,208	+3.5%
91405	Van Nuys	$2,384	+0.2%
91401	Van Nuys / Valley Glen	$2,402	-0.3%
91411	Van Nuys (central)	$2,419	+0.3%
91325	Northridge	$2,426	+0.5%
91335	Reseda	$2,531	+1.5%
91303	Canoga Park	$2,543	-0.5%
91331	Pacoima / Arleta	$2,569	n/a
91406	Van Nuys / Lake Balboa	$2,596	+2.1%
91601	North Hollywood (NoHo Arts District)	$2,605	+0.1%
91607	Valley Village	$2,611	+1.6%
91342	Sylmar	$2,657	+2.4%
91602	Toluca Lake	$2,677	-0.6%
91606	North Hollywood (west)	$2,749	+0.2%
91403	Sherman Oaks	$2,759	+1.6%
91306	Winnetka	$2,769	+1.7%
91324	Northridge (west)	$2,803	-0.6%
91352	Sun Valley	$2,834	+0.9%
91423	Sherman Oaks (east)	$2,851	-0.7%
91604	Studio City	$3,215	+3.8%

Source: Zillow ZORI, ZIP level, September 2026 vs September 2025.

For comparison, the typical rent for the City of Los Angeles as a whole was about $2,772 in September 2026.

The pattern: rents drop as you move north and west

The Valley’s rent map roughly tracks distance from Ventura Boulevard and the hills. Studio City, Sherman Oaks and Toluca Lake are close to the studios, the 101 and the passes into Hollywood and the Westside, and they sit at the top of the table. Go a few miles north to Van Nuys, Panorama City, Pacoima and North Hollywood above Victory Boulevard, and the typical rent drops by several hundred dollars.

Van Nuys: the Valley’s budget middle

Van Nuys covers several ZIPs (91401, 91405, 91406 and 91411), and all of them come in well under the city figure. It’s central, with quick access to the 405, the 101 and the Metro G Line busway. It also has lots of 1960s through 1980s apartment buildings, so you’ll find a mix of RSO and non-RSO units.

North Hollywood: two price tiers

North Hollywood shows up twice. 91605 in the north is one of the cheapest ZIPs in the whole city. 91601, which includes the NoHo Arts District and the B Line subway terminus, costs more. If you want to be near the train for less, look at the streets north of the Arts District. Our North Hollywood neighborhood guide has more detail.

West Valley: Canoga Park, Reseda, Winnetka

91304 and 91303 (Canoga Park), 91335 (Reseda) and 91306 (Winnetka) offer some of the lowest Valley rents, especially for larger units. The G Line runs along the corridor. These areas are farther from the Westside, so check your commute before you sign.

Sherman Oaks and Studio City: the premium end

If you’re set on Ventura Boulevard, the eastern Sherman Oaks ZIP and Studio City cost the most here. Even so, they’re often cheaper than comparable Westside areas. Our Sherman Oaks guide and our Sherman Oaks and Studio City renter’s guide cover both.

Valley-specific things to check

• Air conditioning. Summer in the Valley is regularly much hotter than near the coast. Ask whether the unit has central air or wall units, and who pays for running them.
• Parking. Many Valley buildings include parking, which is a real saving compared with central LA. Confirm whether it’s included in the rent or billed separately.
• Utilities. Most of the Valley gets power from LADWP. Ask the landlord for typical summer bills, since cooling can add a lot.
• Moving in. Our apartment moving checklist and guide to choosing a moving company help if you’re relocating from another part of LA.

Frequently asked questions

How often is this rent data updated?

Zillow publishes ZORI once a month, usually around the middle of the month, covering the previous month. We plan to refresh the tables in this series when new data comes out. You can always download the raw files from Zillow Research yourself.

Why does my listing search show higher prices than the table?

Listing sites usually sort by newest or featured, and newer, larger and renovated units get the most exposure. ZORI is a middle-of-the-market measure across all unit sizes, so a typical studio will often cost less than the figure shown and a typical two-bedroom more. Use the table to compare areas, not to predict the rent on any one apartment.

Is a rent-stabilized apartment always cheaper?

Not on day one. Under the RSO, a landlord can generally set the rent at market rate when a new tenant moves in. The benefit is that annual increases afterward are limited to the amount the city sets each year. The LA Housing Department publishes the current allowable increase. Over a multi-year stay, that limit can be worth more than a lower starting rent somewhere else.

Are these areas safe?

Safety varies block by block, so we don’t rate whole ZIP codes. Visit at night and on weekends, talk to current tenants if you can, and check the LAPD’s official crime mapping and statistics for the exact address.

Before you sign: how to make a cheaper neighborhood actually cheaper

A lower rent only helps if the rest of the deal holds up. Some checks to run on any listing in these ZIPs:

• Find out if the unit is rent-stabilized. In the City of Los Angeles, the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) generally covers rental units built on or before October 1, 1978. These areas have plenty of older buildings, so an RSO unit is common, and that limits how much your rent can go up each year. You can look up any address on the LA Housing Department site. Newer buildings may still fall under California’s statewide cap (AB 1482).
• Know the deposit rules. Since July 1, 2024, California’s AB 12 caps most security deposits at one month’s rent. Our guide on getting your security deposit back covers what happens when you move out.
• Budget for the full monthly cost. Add parking, utilities and renters insurance, then run the total through our rent affordability calculator. Our guide to how much rent you can afford explains the 30% rule and where it falls short.
• Watch for scams. Below-market listings attract fake ones. Read how to spot a rental scam before you send money to anyone.
• Get your application ready early. Good-value units in these ZIPs go fast. Our rental application tips cover the documents landlords ask for.

Looking, or renting one out?

Our free Apartments Club rentals board is new. Landlords and property managers in these neighborhoods can list a rental for free. If you’re still deciding where to live, start with our LA neighborhood guides.

Featured image: North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Branch Library, Los Angeles.jpg by Los Angeles (Wikimedia Commons user), via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), as cited in the text above. Figures reflect the data release noted where they appear; listings and prices change. How we source and update data: Editorial Standards & Sources.