Rent Affordability by State
30% rule. Median rent from Census ACS 2023.
The 30% rule
Spend no more than 30% of gross monthly income on rent. The 50% rule includes all housing costs (rent + utilities + insurance + transportation to/from). Used by HUD and most landlords.
Median rent by state
| State | Median rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $2,031/mo | $81,240/yr |
| California | $2,030/mo | $81,200/yr |
| District of Columbia | $1,849/mo | $73,960/yr |
| Massachusetts | $1,814/mo | $72,560/yr |
| Washington | $1,799/mo | $71,960/yr |
| New Jersey | $1,762/mo | $70,480/yr |
| Colorado | $1,726/mo | $69,040/yr |
| Maryland | $1,714/mo | $68,560/yr |
| New York | $1,666/mo | $66,640/yr |
| Florida | $1,654/mo | $66,160/yr |
| Oregon | $1,622/mo | $64,880/yr |
| Nevada | $1,591/mo | $63,640/yr |
| Virginia | $1,542/mo | $61,680/yr |
| Arizona | $1,538/mo | $61,520/yr |
| Connecticut | $1,473/mo | $58,920/yr |
| New Hampshire | $1,465/mo | $58,600/yr |
| Texas | $1,438/mo | $57,520/yr |
| Georgia | $1,424/mo | $56,960/yr |
| Utah | $1,399/mo | $55,960/yr |
| Delaware | $1,393/mo | $55,720/yr |
| Rhode Island | $1,369/mo | $54,760/yr |
| Alaska | $1,357/mo | $54,280/yr |
| North Carolina | $1,289/mo | $51,560/yr |
| Idaho | $1,273/mo | $50,920/yr |
| Minnesota | $1,245/mo | $49,800/yr |
| Illinois | $1,244/mo | $49,760/yr |
| South Carolina | $1,242/mo | $49,680/yr |
| Tennessee | $1,230/mo | $49,200/yr |
| Pennsylvania | $1,226/mo | $49,040/yr |
| Vermont | $1,190/mo | $47,600/yr |
| Maine | $1,156/mo | $46,240/yr |
| New Mexico | $1,124/mo | $44,960/yr |
| Michigan | $1,119/mo | $44,760/yr |
| Montana | $1,119/mo | $44,760/yr |
| Wisconsin | $1,106/mo | $44,240/yr |
| Louisiana | $1,078/mo | $43,120/yr |
| Missouri | $1,063/mo | $42,520/yr |
| Nebraska | $1,058/mo | $42,320/yr |
| Kansas | $1,054/mo | $42,160/yr |
| Indiana | $1,052/mo | $42,080/yr |
| Ohio | $1,031/mo | $41,240/yr |
| Alabama | $1,024/mo | $40,960/yr |
| Kentucky | $1,014/mo | $40,560/yr |
| Iowa | $1,011/mo | $40,440/yr |
| Oklahoma | $1,004/mo | $40,160/yr |
| Wyoming | $989/mo | $39,560/yr |
| Mississippi | $980/mo | $39,200/yr |
| Arkansas | $942/mo | $37,680/yr |
| South Dakota | $935/mo | $37,400/yr |
| North Dakota | $920/mo | $36,800/yr |
| West Virginia | $819/mo | $32,760/yr |
How to read median gross rent
The Census Bureau reports median gross rent, which is contract rent plus the estimated cost of utilities and fuels - electricity, gas, water, and similar - when a tenant pays them separately. The median is the midpoint: half of renting households in a state pay less, half pay more. It captures total monthly housing cost rather than just the number written on a lease.
The income-needed column applies the common 30%-of-gross-income guideline, the threshold HUD uses to flag households as cost-burdened. It is a rule of thumb for budgeting, not a law or a borrowing limit - landlords and lenders define qualifying income differently, and a household's own affordable amount depends on debt, size, and other costs.
A statewide median also hides wide variation within a state. Large metros can sit far above the state figure while rural counties fall below it, so the number describes the middle of the entire state rather than any single market. These are Census ACS 2023 estimates of what renters already pay, not the asking rents on units listed for lease today.
Rent FAQ
- What is median gross rent?
- Median gross rent is the Census Bureau's estimate of monthly housing cost for renter-occupied units, including contract rent plus the cost of utilities and fuels (electricity, gas, water, and so on) when those are paid separately by the tenant. “Median” means half of renting households in the area pay less and half pay more. The figures here come from the American Community Survey table B25064.
- How much rent can I afford?
- A common guideline is to spend no more than 30% of gross (pre-tax) monthly income on rent. The income-needed column applies that ratio to each state's median rent. This is a budgeting rule of thumb, not a legal limit - lenders, landlords, and HUD define income differently, and your own affordable amount depends on debt, household size, and other costs.
- Why is my city's rent higher than the state median?
- A state median blends high-cost metros with lower-cost suburbs and rural areas. Within a single state, rent in a major city can run well above the statewide figure while smaller towns fall below it. The state number describes the middle of the whole state, not any one market.
- Is this current market rent?
- No. These are Census ACS 2023 estimates of what renters already pay across existing leases, not the asking rent on units listed for lease today. Current advertised rents for newly available apartments can differ, especially in fast-moving markets.
- What's the difference between gross rent and contract rent?
- Contract rent is the amount agreed in the lease. Gross rent adds the estimated monthly cost of utilities and fuels paid separately by the tenant. Gross rent gives a fuller picture of total monthly housing cost, which is why the affordability comparison here uses it.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.
Estimate only - not financial advice. 30% threshold is a guideline, not a rule. Lenders, landlords, and HUD use different definitions of “gross income” (some exclude bonuses, some include partner income). Median state rent hides large variation by city - high-cost metros (SF, NY, DC) are much higher than the state median.
Last reviewed: · Reviewed by R. Bennett, Editor · editorial policy