Ventura County rental rates in 2026 average $2,776 per month for an apartment countywide, with Thousand Oaks the most expensive large city at $2,845 and Simi Valley the most affordable at $2,637, according to RentCafe and Yardi Matrix data. Rents are flat to slightly negative year over year: Thousand Oaks is down 2.8%, Simi Valley is down 0.17%, the city of Ventura is up 0.07%. Landlords are holding rents rather than raising them, and the units that lease fastest are priced at or just under the neighborhood average.
Key Takeaways
- Ventura County's average apartment rent in 2026 is $2,776 per month, about 41% above the $1,965 national average, per RentCafe and Yardi Matrix data.
- Thousand Oaks is the priciest large Ventura County city at $2,845 per month, though rents fell 2.8% year over year due to competition from detached rental homes.
- Simi Valley is the most affordable major city at $2,637 per month, with rent essentially flat, down just $5 year over year.
- A Simi Valley three bedroom renting at $3,337 monthly yields 4.7% gross on an $850,000 purchase, with net yields typically landing between 2.5% and 3.5%.
- Within Oxnard, rents range from $3,104 in Riverpark to $2,408 in the Terrace Estates and Pleasant Valley area, a $696 gap in one city.
The number that matters to an owner is not the asking rent on a listing site. It is the rent that gets signed. Countywide that sits at $2,776 per month for an average 898 square foot apartment, per RentCafe market analysis built on Yardi Matrix data, roughly 41% above the $1,965 national average reported for July 2026. Ventura County remains a premium rental market, and it has stopped growing like one.
What are the average Ventura County rental rates in 2026 by city?
These are average in place apartment rents, not asking rents, which is why they run below what you see advertised at the newest lease ups near The Oaks in Thousand Oaks.
| City | Average Apartment Rent | 1 Bedroom | 2 Bedroom | 3 Bedroom | Year Over Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thousand Oaks | $2,845 | $2,526 | $2,991 | $3,444 | Down 2.8% |
| Ventura | $2,802 | $2,529 | $3,028 | Limited inventory | Up 0.07% |
| Camarillo | $2,754 | Varies by property | Varies by property | Varies by property | Down 0.8% |
| Oxnard | $2,727 | $2,187 | $2,795 | $4,000 | Roughly flat |
| Simi Valley | $2,637 | $2,334 | $2,743 | $3,337 | Down 0.17% |
| Ventura County overall | $2,776 | Varies | Varies | Varies | Essentially flat |
Apartment averages from RentCafe and Yardi Matrix, 2026. Oxnard bedroom figures reflect all rental types per Trulia, July 2026.
Average Apartment Rent by Ventura County City, 2026
$0$1,000$2,000$3,000$2,776$2,845$2,802$2,754$2,727$2,637Ventura Co.Thousand OaksVenturaCamarilloOxnardSimi ValleyCountywide averageIndividual city
Source: RentCafe market analysis and Yardi Matrix, 2026
Why are Thousand Oaks rent prices falling while the Simi Valley rental market holds flat?
Thousand Oaks rent prices slipped from $2,927 to $2,845 in a year, a 2.8% decline, the steepest of any major city in the county. The cause is supply concentrated at the top. Three bedroom apartments there average $3,444, competing directly with detached rental homes in Newbury Park, Wildwood, and Lang Ranch. When a family can lease a house near the Wildwood Regional Park trailheads for a small premium, the apartment discounts. Only 30% of Thousand Oaks households rent, so the pool absorbing that inventory is thin.
The Simi Valley rental market behaves differently. Average rent moved just $5, from $2,642 to $2,637, and 27% of households rent. Simi's stock skews toward workforce housing along Cochran Street and the Tapo Canyon corridor, priced for tenants who work locally. That same stability shows up in the resale numbers and helps explain why Simi Valley pricing has stayed steadier through this cycle than the higher end Conejo submarkets. Rent is only one line of the budget, so weigh it against the full cost comparison between Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.
Rent by Bedroom Count: Thousand Oaks vs Simi Valley, 2026
$0$1,000$2,000$3,000$4,000$2,526$2,334$2,991$2,743$3,444$3,3371 Bedroom2 Bedroom3 BedroomThousand OaksSimi Valley
Source: RentCafe market analysis and Yardi Matrix, 2026
What do Ventura County landlord returns actually look like in 2026?
Run the arithmetic. A Simi Valley three bedroom leasing at $3,337 per month generates $40,044 a year. On an $850,000 purchase that is a 4.7% gross yield before a single expense. Subtract property taxes, which start at the Proposition 13 base rate of 1% of assessed value plus voter approved bonds and direct assessments administered through the Ventura County Assessor, then add insurance, maintenance, and vacancy, and realistic net yields across the county land between 2.5% and 3.5%.
That is why seasoned Ventura County landlords underwrite for appreciation and principal paydown, not cash flow, and why tax basis matters. Two similar homes, one in Westlake Village and one across the line in Calabasas, carry very different annual costs. The tax differences between Los Angeles County and Ventura County properties are the most overlooked variable in local rental underwriting.
Which Ventura County neighborhoods command the highest rents in 2026?
Within cities the spread is wider than between them. In Oxnard, Riverpark averages $3,104 per month while the Terrace Estates and Pleasant Valley area averages $2,408, a $696 gap inside one city. The Westlake Village submarket averages $2,924, above the broader Thousand Oaks figure of $2,845.
The premiums track walkable retail, newer construction, and school boundaries. Westlake Village rentals draw professionals who want The Stonehaus and Mastro's Steakhouse minutes away. Camarillo holds firm on CSU Channel Islands demand, Old Town anchors like Lure Fish House, and weekend traffic to the Camarillo Premium Outlets. Simi Valley's stronger pockets sit near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the parks run by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. In Thousand Oaks, the Amgen campus and California Lutheran University support the one bedroom tier, while the Wildwood neighborhood pulls family renters wanting trail access and Conejo Valley Unified schools.
How much can a Ventura County landlord legally raise rent in 2026?
Most Ventura County rentals fall under California's statewide Tenant Protection Act, which caps annual increases at 5% plus the regional change in the Consumer Price Index, with a hard ceiling of 10% in any 12 month period. Single family homes and condos are generally exempt when the owner is not a corporation and the exemption notice is served in the lease, as are buildings with a certificate of occupancy issued in the last 15 years.
The practical point for 2026 is that the legal ceiling sits far above what the market will bear. With Thousand Oaks down 2.8% and the county flat, a 7% increase on a good tenant invites a vacancy that costs more than it earns. One month empty on a $2,845 unit erases a 5% raise for nearly two years. Owners running that math are increasingly selling instead, a decision worth weighing against current Conejo Valley pricing and days on market data. In the eastern county, the Moorpark and Simi Valley comparison reads tenant demand well, since Moorpark College anchors a steady renter base.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ventura County Rental Rates in 2026
What is the average rent in Ventura County in 2026?
The average Ventura County apartment rents for $2,776 per month at 898 square feet. Thousand Oaks leads the major cities at $2,845, then Ventura at $2,802, Camarillo at $2,754, Oxnard at $2,727, and Simi Valley at $2,637. About 115,618 households, or 36% of the county, are renter occupied, consistent with US Census Bureau housing tenure data.
Are Ventura County rents going up or down in 2026?
Flat to slightly down. Thousand Oaks fell 2.8% year over year, Camarillo eased about 0.8%, Simi Valley slipped 0.17%, and the city of Ventura rose 0.07%. No major Ventura County city posted meaningful rent growth in the past 12 months, a sharp change from 2021 and 2022.
Is a Ventura County rental property a good investment in 2026?
It depends on your horizon. Gross yields run 4% to 5%, and net yields after taxes, insurance, and maintenance land between 2.5% and 3.5%. Buyers who need current income usually find better returns elsewhere. Buyers who want a hard asset in a supply constrained coastal county keep buying here, and financing cost is the swing factor, which is why the weekly Freddie Mac mortgage rate survey matters as much as rent trends.
Which Ventura County city has the cheapest rent?
Among the larger cities, Simi Valley is the most affordable at $2,637, with one bedrooms at $2,334 and two bedrooms at $2,743. The lowest priced identified submarket countywide is the Terrace Estates and Pleasant Valley area of Oxnard at $2,408 per month.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Ventura County?
Davis Bartels and the DB Real Estate Group have served families across the Conejo Valley and Ventura County since 2009, with 500+ closed transactions and nearly $500 million in career sales volume, including a career-best 100 closings and $103M+ in 2025. Whether you're exploring your options or ready to make a move, reach out for a no pressure conversation about your goals.
Contact Davis: davisbartels.com or (805) 341-6125
