Rent Increase Calculator
Percent and dollar change, CPI-indexed raises and state rent caps
To calculate a rent increase percentage, divide the dollar increase by the old rent and multiply by 100. A raise from $1,650 to $1,749 is $99 a month, a 6% increase that adds $1,188 a year. Where a statewide cap applies, the 2027 maximum is 10% in Oregon and Washington, and California's limit for increases taking effect from August 1, 2026 ranges from 8.1% to 8.8% by region.
Last updated October 2026
Method: Percent change = (new rent − old rent) ÷ old rent × 100. New rent = old rent × (1 + increase). CPI-indexed rent = old rent × ending CPI ÷ starting CPI, with an optional add-on and cap. CPI-U values are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted), latest release August 2026. State maximums come from the California Attorney General, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Included: Old-versus-new, percentage and CPI modes, monthly and annual dollar change, an inflation-adjusted comparison, a five-year projection, and cap and notice checks for California (by region and effective date), Oregon and Washington from 2025 to 2027.
Not included: City and county rent control, case-by-case exemptions, subsidized-housing rent rules, fees and utility charges. This is an estimate, not legal advice.
📈 Your rent increase
State rent cap check (CA, OR, WA)
📈 Rent increase
🗓️ If the same increase repeats
6% every year, compounded, starting from $1,650.00.
| Year | Monthly rent | Rent for the year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,749.00 | $20,988 |
| 2 | $1,853.94 | $22,247 |
| 3 | $1,965.18 | $23,582 |
| 4 | $2,083.09 | $24,997 |
| 5 | $2,208.08 | $26,497 |
Over five years you would pay $19,311 more than at today's rent of $1,650.00.
Rent increase calculator: percentages, CPI escalators and legal limits
A renewal letter states a new dollar amount, while leases and state laws talk in percentages. This rent raise calculator translates between the two, applies a Consumer Price Index escalator and checks the result against the statewide caps in California, Oregon and Washington.
The rent increase formulas
Four formulas cover everything the calculator does: the percentage of a raise, the new rent, a CPI-indexed rent and the ceiling under a cap.
Increase % = (New rent − Old rent) ÷ Old rent × 100 New rent = Old rent × (1 + Increase % ÷ 100) CPI-indexed rent = Old rent × CPIend ÷ CPIstart Maximum rent = Base rent × (1 + Cap % ÷ 100) Annual cost is the monthly change times 12. To undo a percentage, divide rather than subtract: a rent of $2,200 after a 10% raise came from $2,200 ÷ 1.10 = $2,000, not from $2,200 minus 10%, which would give $1,980.
Worked example 1: from $1,650 to $1,749
A tenant paying $1,650 receives a renewal at $1,749. These are the calculator's default inputs.
- Dollar change: $1,749 − $1,650 = $99 per month.
- Percentage: $99 ÷ $1,650 = 0.06, a 6% increase.
- Annual cost: $99 × 12 = $1,188 more per year, for new annual rent of $20,988.
- After inflation: against the 3.40% rise in the CPI-U from August 2025 to August 2026, the raise is about 2.52% in real terms (1.06 ÷ 1.0340 − 1).
In Oregon in 2027, 6% is inside the 10% cap, provided the tenancy is past its first year and 90 days of written notice were given.
Worked example 2: a CPI-indexed lease on $2,100
A lease sets rent at $2,100 and says it will adjust each year by the 12-month change in the CPI-U for the U.S. city average. The latest values are 323.976 for August 2025 and 334.980 for August 2026.
- CPI change: 334.980 ÷ 323.976 − 1 = 3.40%.
- New rent: $2,100 × 334.980 ÷ 323.976 = $2,171.33, an increase of $71.33 a month or $855.96 a year.
- With a margin and a cap: if the clause reads "CPI plus 2 points, but no more than 5%", the formula gives 5.40%, the cap trims it to 5%, and the rent becomes $2,205.
- With annual averages instead: the 2025 average (321.943) over the 2024 average (313.689) is 2.63%; plus 2 points that is 4.63%, under the cap, for a rent of $2,197.26.
The same clause produces three different rents depending on which index months the lease names, which is why the exact wording of an escalation clause matters.
New rent at 3%, 5%, 7% and 10%
The table applies four increase sizes to common monthly rents. The figure in parentheses is the extra cost over a full year. Every value was computed exactly from the formulas above.
| Current rent | +3% | +5% | +7% | +10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $800 | $824 (+$288) | $840 (+$480) | $856 (+$672) | $880 (+$960) |
| $1,000 | $1,030 (+$360) | $1,050 (+$600) | $1,070 (+$840) | $1,100 (+$1,200) |
| $1,200 | $1,236 (+$432) | $1,260 (+$720) | $1,284 (+$1,008) | $1,320 (+$1,440) |
| $1,500 | $1,545 (+$540) | $1,575 (+$900) | $1,605 (+$1,260) | $1,650 (+$1,800) |
| $1,800 | $1,854 (+$648) | $1,890 (+$1,080) | $1,926 (+$1,512) | $1,980 (+$2,160) |
| $2,000 | $2,060 (+$720) | $2,100 (+$1,200) | $2,140 (+$1,680) | $2,200 (+$2,400) |
| $2,500 | $2,575 (+$900) | $2,625 (+$1,500) | $2,675 (+$2,100) | $2,750 (+$3,000) |
| $3,000 | $3,090 (+$1,080) | $3,150 (+$1,800) | $3,210 (+$2,520) | $3,300 (+$3,600) |
What a raise costs over five years
Percentage increases compound: each year's raise applies to the previous year's higher rent. Starting from $1,500 and repeating the same increase every year:
| Yearly increase | Year 1 | Year 3 | Year 5 | Extra paid over 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | $1,545.00 | $1,639.09 | $1,738.91 | $8,431 |
| 5% | $1,575.00 | $1,736.44 | $1,914.42 | $14,434 |
| 7% | $1,605.00 | $1,837.56 | $2,103.82 | $20,759 |
| 10% | $1,650.00 | $1,996.50 | $2,415.77 | $30,881 |
The last column compares five years of payments with staying at $1,500 the whole time ($90,000). Five 10% raises in a row push the rent up 61%, not 50%, because of compounding. The calculator's projection panel does the same for your rent.
CPI-U: which index number to use
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national series that most leases mean by "CPI" is the U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted, with 1982-84 = 100 (series CUUR0000SA0). Recent values:
- Annual averages: 304.702 (2023), 313.689 (2024, up 2.95%) and 321.943 (2025, up 2.63%).
- Latest 12 months: 323.976 in August 2025 and 334.980 in August 2026, up 3.40%.
- A gap to know about: BLS did not publish an October 2025 index because of the 2025 lapse in appropriations, so a lease that names October 2025 needs another reference month.
State caps use regional indexes: California the April change in the BLS metro-area index (or the California CPI elsewhere), Oregon the West Region CPI-U and Washington the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue CPI-U. The custom option accepts any pair of index values. For price changes in general, see the Inflation Calculator and the Purchasing Power Calculator.
State rent caps in California, Oregon and Washington
All three states cap annual increases on most older rentals with a formula that combines a fixed percentage, an inflation measure and a 10% ceiling. Each state publishes the resulting maximum.
| State and law | Formula | Published maximum | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| California, Civil Code 1947.12 | Lesser of 10% or 5% + regional CPI change (April to April), measured from the lowest rent in the prior 12 months | Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027: Los Angeles area 8.7%, Riverside area 8.1%, San Diego 8.2%, San Francisco area 8.8%, other counties 8.6% | 30 days up to 10%, 90 days above 10% |
| Oregon, ORS 90.323 and 90.324 | Lesser of 10% or 7% + 12-month average change in the West Region CPI-U | 2025: 10.0%, 2026: 9.5%, 2027: 10% | 90 days; none in the first year; once per 12 months |
| Washington, RCW 59.18.700 | Lesser of 10% or 7% + June 12-month change in the Seattle-area CPI-U | May 7 to Dec 31, 2025: 10%, 2026: 9.683%, 2027: 10% | 90 days (30 for income-based subsidized); none in the first 12 months |
For increases starting August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026, California's maximums were 8% (Los Angeles area), 7.5% (Riverside area), 8.8% (San Diego), 6.3% (San Francisco area) and 7.7% elsewhere, and a continuing tenant can receive at most two increases within 12 months. Newer buildings are exempt (15 years in California and Oregon, 12 in Washington), as are certain owner-occupied homes and regulated affordable housing. Oregon tenants can recover three months' rent plus actual damages for a violation, and Washington's attorney general can seek up to $7,500 per violation.
Checking an increase against a cap: three scenarios
- Oregon, effective February 1, 2027: rent of $1,800 raised to $1,999 is an 11.06% increase. The 2027 cap is 10%, so the highest legal rent for a covered unit is $1,980, and the proposed rent is $19 a month too high.
- Los Angeles County, effective September 1, 2026: with a lowest rent of $2,400 in the prior 12 months, the 8.7% maximum allows $2,608.80. A proposed $2,650 (10.42%) would exceed the cap on a covered unit, and on an exempt unit the increase above 10% would require 90 days of notice instead of 30.
- Washington: on rent of $2,000, an increase taking effect in 2026 can reach $2,193.66 (9.683%), and one taking effect in 2027 can reach $2,200 (10%).
The calculator's cap panel runs the same check on your numbers. Outside these three states it shows no cap; check local law, because some cities and counties regulate rents on their own.
How to use this calculator
- Pick a mode: "Old vs new" when you know both rents, "Apply a %" when you know the increase, and "CPI-indexed" when your lease ties rent to the Consumer Price Index.
- Enter the current rent: in California, use the lowest gross rent charged in the past 12 months, before any concessions.
- For CPI leases: choose the period your lease names or enter custom index values, then add any margin and cap from the clause.
- Check the cap: open the state panel, choose the state (and region in California) and the date the increase takes effect.
- Read the results: percent and dollar change, new annual rent, the change after inflation and a five-year projection.
Tenants use it to weigh a renewal against inflation or moving costs; landlords and property managers use it to set renewals that respect caps and notice periods.
Key terms
- CPI-U: the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, the BLS measure most escalation clauses and state caps refer to.
- Escalation clause: a lease term that changes rent by a formula, such as a fixed percentage or a CPI change with a floor or cap.
- Base rent: the rent the percentage is measured from; in California, the lowest gross rent in the prior 12 months.
- Certificate of occupancy: the document that allows a new building to be lived in; its date decides the new-construction exemptions.
- Real increase: the raise after removing general inflation, (1 + raise) ÷ (1 + CPI change) − 1.
What changes the result, and practical tips
- The base month: a CPI clause measured August to August gave 3.40%; the same clause on annual averages gave 2.63%.
- Margins and caps: a "CPI plus 2" clause with a 5% cap behaves very differently from plain CPI when inflation runs high.
- Timing: the effective date decides which published cap applies, so an increase dated August 1, 2026 in California uses the new chart.
- Tenants: compare the annual increase with the cost of moving, and check with the Rent Affordability Calculator whether the new rent still fits your income.
- Landlords: document the base rent, the formula and the notice date in writing.
Limitations
- Cap checks cover the published statewide maximums for California, Oregon and Washington from 2025 to 2027 only. City and county ordinances, such as local rent stabilization programs, are not included.
- Whether a unit is exempt depends on facts the calculator cannot see, such as the certificate of occupancy date, the owner and any affordability covenant.
- Manufactured home and floating home spaces and subsidized tenancies can follow separate rules in these states.
- The projection repeats one percentage; real renewals vary from year to year.
Related calculators
- To weigh a renewal against buying, use the Rent vs. Buy Calculator.
- Landlords can test how rent growth changes cash flow with the Rental Property Calculator, and the cost of selling instead with the Real Estate Commission Calculator.
- For the percentage change between any two numbers, use the Percentage Increase Calculator.
- To fit a higher rent into a monthly plan, use the Budget Calculator, and to see whether your pay kept pace, the COLA Calculator.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items, series CUUR0000SA0 and the Consumer Price Index program.
- California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General: Limits on Rent Increases and Landlord-Tenant Issues (notice periods under Civil Code 827).
- Oregon Department of Administrative Services, Office of Economic Analysis: Rent Stabilization and the 2027 maximum rent increase release; ORS chapter 90.
- Washington State Department of Commerce: HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center; Washington State Legislature: RCW 59.18.700, RCW 59.18.710 and RCW 59.18.140.
⚠️ Common mistakes & edge cases
Dividing by the new rent
The percentage is always measured from the old rent. $99 on top of $1,650 is 6%; dividing $99 by $1,749 gives 5.66% and understates the raise.
Using the wrong base in California
California measures the cap from the lowest gross rent charged in the 12 months before the increase, which is not always the current rent. If the gross rent was lowered at some point in that window, the lower figure is the base. Discounts and concessions the tenant accepted, such as a free month, are excluded and do not lower it.
Mixing up CPI figures
The 12-month change to August 2026 (3.40%), the 2025 annual average change (2.63%) and a regional index are different numbers. Use the series and months your lease or statute names.
Assuming every unit is covered
Newer buildings, certain owner-occupied homes and regulated affordable housing are exempt from the statewide caps, and local rules can be stricter, so a within-cap result is not proof that an increase is allowed.
Ignoring timing rules
Oregon and Washington bar increases in the first year of a tenancy and require 90 days of written notice, so an increase of a legal size can still be invalid.
Treating the cap as the expected raise
A 10% cap is a ceiling. Five 10% increases in a row raise $1,500 to $2,415.77, and the tenant pays $30,881 more over five years than at the original rent.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a rent increase percentage?
Subtract the old rent from the new rent, divide the difference by the old rent and multiply by 100. A raise from $1,650 to $1,749 is $99 a month, and $99 divided by $1,650 is 0.06, so the increase is 6%. Over a year that adds $1,188. Always divide by the old rent: dividing by the new rent would understate the increase as 5.66%.
How do I find the new rent from a percentage increase?
Multiply the current rent by one plus the percentage written as a decimal. A 5% raise on $1,500 is $1,500 times 1.05, which is $1,575. To go the other way and find the old rent from a new rent, divide instead: $2,200 after a 10% increase means the previous rent was $2,200 divided by 1.10, or $2,000.
What is a reasonable rent increase per year?
There is no single legal or national answer, but inflation is a useful yardstick. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 2.63% from its 2024 annual average to its 2025 annual average and 3.40% in the 12 months to August 2026. A raise well above those figures outpaces general inflation. Statewide caps such as Oregon's 10% for 2027 are legal ceilings, not suggested amounts.
How much can a landlord raise rent in California?
Under the Tenant Protection Act, most rentals older than 15 years can rise by no more than 5% plus the regional change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, over any 12 months. The Attorney General lists the maximum for increases taking effect from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027 as 8.7% in the Los Angeles area, 8.1% in the Riverside area, 8.2% in San Diego County, 8.8% in the San Francisco area and 8.6% in all other counties. Stricter local rent control can apply.
What is the maximum rent increase in Oregon for 2027?
The Oregon Department of Administrative Services set the 2027 maximum at 10% for tenancies covered by ORS 90.323, after 9.5% for 2026 and 10.0% for 2025. The formula is the lesser of 10% or 7% plus the annual average change in the West Region CPI-U. Landlords must give 90 days written notice, cannot raise rent in the first year and can raise it only once in 12 months.
What is Washington's rent increase limit for 2027?
The Washington State Department of Commerce set the 2027 maximum at 10%. The formula in RCW 59.18.700 is 7% plus the June 12-month change in the Seattle-area CPI-U, or 10%, whichever is less; for 2027 the formula produced 11.53%, so the 10% ceiling applies. The 2026 limit is 9.683%. Rent cannot rise during the first 12 months of a tenancy, and landlords must give at least 90 days written notice.
How do I calculate a CPI-based rent increase?
Divide the ending CPI value by the starting value and multiply the rent by the result. With CPI-U values of 323.976 for August 2025 and 334.980 for August 2026, a $2,100 rent becomes $2,171.33. If your lease adds a margin or a cap, such as CPI plus 2 points but no more than 5%, apply those after the CPI change; that example gives $2,205.
How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising rent?
It depends on the state. California requires at least 30 days written notice for an increase of 10% or less and 90 days for more than 10%. Oregon and Washington require at least 90 days written notice (7 days for week-to-week tenancies in Oregon, 30 days for income-based subsidized tenancies in Washington). Other states set their own rules, and a fixed-term lease generally keeps the rent unchanged until the term ends unless the lease says otherwise.
Is there an allowable rent increase in states without rent control?
There is no general federal cap on rent increases for private rentals; limits come from state and local law, the lease and, for subsidized housing, the program's rules. Without a statewide cap, the limit usually comes from the lease, the notice rules in state law and any local ordinance. Some cities and counties have their own rent stabilization rules even where the state has no cap, so check your local housing agency. This calculator checks the statewide caps in California, Oregon and Washington only.
Do rent caps apply to new buildings?
Usually not. California exempts units with a certificate of occupancy issued within the past 15 years, on a rolling basis. Oregon exempts units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued less than 15 years before the notice. Washington exempts units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 or fewer years before the notice. Each state also exempts certain owner-occupied and regulated affordable housing.
💡 Good to know
Compare a raise with inflation
A 6% increase against 3.40% CPI-U inflation is about a 2.5% real increase. The calculator shows this figure for every result.
State maximums update every year
Washington publishes its figure each July, Oregon by September 30 and California's Attorney General updates its chart for increases starting August 1. Check the date an increase takes effect, not the date of the letter.
Read the escalation clause word for word
Which CPI series, which months, any margin, floor or cap: each detail changes the number. On a $2,100 rent, three readings of one clause produced $2,171.33, $2,197.26 and $2,205.
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