Sacramento concessions stay near record lows as three-bedroom rents keep climbing
By
Rental Beast
The quarter at a glance:
Rents climbed across most property types, led by 3-bedrooms at +3.3% quarter-over-quarter
Concessions ticked up slightly to 20.8% of listings from 19.6% in Q1, though still well below the 39.9% national median
Days on market fell to 18 (from 23), down 21.7% quarter-over-quarter
The rent-vs-buy gap widened to $1,447/month from $1,308, one of the largest ownership premiums among these markets
Median Rent by Unit Type
Three-bedroom and single-family rents kept climbing, up 3.3% and 2.6% year-over-year, while the rest of the market held roughly flat.
Sacramento, CA · Q2 2026
Median rent by property type
Bars show YoY % change
1BD
+0.0%
$1,625
2BD
-1.0%
$1,925
3BD
+3.3%
$2,273
SF
+2.6%
$1,950
MF
-0.6%
$1,845
Quarter over quarter: 1BD +1.6%, 2BD +1.3%, 3BD +3.3%, SF 0.0%, MF +1.1%Rental Beast
Concessions & Days on Market
Concessions ticked up slightly to 20.8% but remain down 41.4% from a year ago, one of the lowest levels tracked this quarter, alongside days on market falling sharply across every property type.
Sacramento, CA · Q2 2026
Concessions and days on market
20.8%
of listings offer a concession up from 19.6% last quarter (down 41.4% YoY) National median: 39.9%
Median days on market
All
18
SF
16
MF
21
All -21.7% (SF -15.8%, MF -19.2%) quarter over quarter
National median: All 22 / SF 20 / MF 24
Rental Beast
Property Managers Market Sentiment
Rent expectations and applicant sentiment both shifted only slightly, a small but consistent signal alongside Sacramento's still-low concession rate.
Sacramento, CA · Q2 2026
Market sentiment
Do you expect rent prices to increase, decrease, or remain the same over the next 6 months?
11%
1%
Remain the same, 88%
IncreaseDecreaseRemain the same
vs. Q1 2026: 8% increase, 1% decrease, 91% remain the same
Are you currently getting more, fewer, or about the same applicants for your available rentals?
3%
10%
About the same, 86%
FewerMoreAbout the same
vs. Q1 2026: 2% fewer, 5% more, 93% about the same
Rent vs. buy: the gap keeps widening
Owning now costs $1,447 more per month than renting, up from $1,308 in Q1, one of the widest gaps this quarter.
Sacramento, CA · Q2 2026
Rent vs. buy
Rent
$2,273
Buy
$3,720
$1,447/mo
more expensive to buy than rent. The gap widened from $1,308 last quarter (up $139 quarter over quarter).
Rent vs. buy gap by quarter
1Q252Q253Q254Q251Q262Q26
Median list price $635,000 (May 2026). 20% down, 6.5% rate, taxes and insuranceRental Beast
Rental data used in this report are sourced and catalogued directly by Rental Beast, unless otherwise noted. Rental Beast listing data covers a range of rental property types and owner types operating within the long-term rental market (generally considered to be leases with a minimum of three months). Data provided courtesy of Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Single-family rentals are considered to be properties with 4 or fewer units. Multifamily is more than 4 doors. Unless otherwise noted, our analysis uses the Sacramento, CA, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) as the geographical unit.
Rents are calculated based on these listings. Days on market (DOM) and concession analysis are based on these listings, with some data sources excluded due to DOM and concession info being unavailable or deemed to be unreliable. Concessions are incentives that entice renters to sign a lease (e.g., one month free, a gift card, etc.).
Our sentiment survey is based on phone conversations during Q1 2026 with rental building and community managers and property managers. Questions and answer choices:
Q1. Do you expect rent prices to increase, remain the same or decrease over the next 6 months? [Possible answers: Remain the same, increase, decrease]
Q2. Do you believe you are currently getting more, about the same or fewer applicants for your available rentals? [Possible answers: About the same, more, fewer]
DISCLAIMER. This report attempts to provide reliable and useful information; however, there is no guarantee that the information or other content in this document is accurate, current or suitable for any particular purpose. All content is subject to change without notice. All content is provided on an “as is” basis, with no warranties of any kind whatsoever. Rental data used in this report are sourced and catalogued directly by Rental Beast, unless otherwise noted. Our analysis uses MSA as the geographical unit and is not reflective of all-U.S. measures. Information from this document may be used with proper attribution.
