What percentage of people rent in Costa Mesa, CA?

Name: Renters and owners in Costa Mesa, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

60.4% (±1.8 points) of the occupied homes in Costa Mesa, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 25,564 renting households against 16,728 that own their home.

In Costa Mesa, the share of households that rent went from 61.7% in 2015–2019 to 60.4% in 2020–2024 (−1.3 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 60.4% (±1.8 points)
Renting households: 25,564 (±1,008)
Median renter income: $93,538 (±$3,903)

Who rents and who owns in Costa Mesa

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Costa Mesa	Orange County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	60.4% (±1.8 points)	43.6% (±0.4 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	25,564 (±1,008)	472,301 (±4,148)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	16,728 (±913)	610,659 (±4,388)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.5 (±0.1)	2.8 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.6 (±0.1)	2.9 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$93,538 (±$3,903)	$86,153 (±$1,044)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$156,321 (±$10,533)	$149,479 (±$1,604)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In Costa Mesa, the renter share is higher than in Orange County (43.6%).

It is also higher than in California (44.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Orange County, Costa Mesa ranks 2 of 42 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 72 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Costa Mesa has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	61.7% (±1.3 points)	60.4% (±1.8 points)	−1.3 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,857 (±$25)	$2,446 (±$39)	+31.7%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$84,138 (±$2,744)	$111,505 (±$4,151)	+32.5%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Costa Mesa

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Costa Mesa
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Costa Mesa	—	60.4% (±1.8 points)	—
Fountain Valley	3.8 mi	35.2% (±2.6 points)	Lower
Newport Beach	4.9 mi	47.9% (±1.9 points)	Lower
Santa Ana	5.2 mi	55.4% (±1.2 points)	Lower
Huntington Beach	5.7 mi	44.6% (±1.3 points)	Lower
Midway City	6.9 mi	72.4% (±6.2 points)	Higher
Tustin	7.4 mi	51.2% (±2.2 points)	Lower
Westminster	7.6 mi	46.6% (±2.2 points)	Lower
Irvine	8.2 mi	55.5% (±1.2 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Fountain Valley, CA (35.2%), Newport Beach, CA (47.9%), Santa Ana, CA (55.4%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Midway City, CA (72.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Orange County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Midway City	72.4% (±6.2 points)
2	Costa Mesa	60.4% (±1.8 points)
3	Los Alamitos	57.6% (±3.7 points)
4	Irvine	55.5% (±1.2 points)
5	Santa Ana	55.4% (±1.2 points)
6	Anaheim	53.8% (±1.3 points)
7	Stanton	51.9% (±3.1 points)
8	Tustin	51.2% (±2.2 points)

Showing 8 of 42 places in Orange County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Costa Mesa

How many renters are there in Costa Mesa?

Costa Mesa has an estimated 25,564 (±1,008) renting households, 60.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Costa Mesa?

In Costa Mesa, the share of households that rent went from 61.7% in 2015–2019 to 60.4% in 2020–2024 (−1.3 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Costa Mesa?

A renting household in Costa Mesa has 2.5 people on average, against 2.6 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Costa Mesa?

The median renting household in Costa Mesa, CA has an income of $93,538 (±$3,903) a year, against $156,321 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Costa Mesa city, California (place:16532, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.