US States · Median rent as % of income

US States by Rent Burden (Rent as % of Income) (2024)

Data: 2024 ACS 1-year estimates Updated: Source: U.S. Census Bureau CSV

High rent is only half of the affordability story; what matters is rent relative to what renters earn. This list ranks states by the median share of household income that renter households spend on gross rent. Housing experts generally consider households paying more than 30% of income on housing to be cost-burdened.

Renters in Florida face the highest median rent burden at 36.1% of income, while those in North Dakota spend the least, 24.2%. Nationally the median is 30.9%.

Key facts

Highest

  1. 1Florida36.1%
  2. 2Nevada34.0%
  3. 3California33.1%

Lowest

  1. 51North Dakota24.2%
  2. 49Wyoming26.5%
  3. 49Alaska26.5%
United States
30.9%
Median of 51 states
29.7%
states ranked
51

Median rent as % of income by state

Shaded by quintile; darker = higher. Hover a state for its value and rank.

Alabama: 29.3% (rank 31 of 51)Alaska: 26.5% (rank 49 of 51)Arizona: 31.2% (rank 10 of 51)Colorado: 31.2% (rank 10 of 51)Florida: 36.1% (rank 1 of 51)Georgia: 31.6% (rank 7 of 51)Indiana: 29.3% (rank 31 of 51)Kansas: 27.1% (rank 46 of 51)Maine: 30.1% (rank 22 of 51)Massachusetts: 31.1% (rank 14 of 51)Minnesota: 29.1% (rank 35 of 51)New Jersey: 31.2% (rank 10 of 51)North Carolina: 30.8% (rank 16 of 51)North Dakota: 24.2% (rank 51 of 51)Oklahoma: 28.4% (rank 39 of 51)Pennsylvania: 29.7% (rank 26 of 51)South Dakota: 26.9% (rank 48 of 51)Texas: 31.4% (rank 8 of 51)Wyoming: 26.5% (rank 49 of 51)Connecticut: 32.1% (rank 6 of 51)Missouri: 27.9% (rank 42 of 51)West Virginia: 28.4% (rank 39 of 51)Illinois: 29.4% (rank 29 of 51)New Mexico: 29.3% (rank 31 of 51)Arkansas: 28.1% (rank 41 of 51)California: 33.1% (rank 3 of 51)Delaware: 30.1% (rank 22 of 51)Hawaii: 32.6% (rank 4 of 51)Iowa: 27.2% (rank 45 of 51)Kentucky: 27.9% (rank 42 of 51)Maryland: 30.8% (rank 16 of 51)Michigan: 30.7% (rank 18 of 51)Mississippi: 30.2% (rank 21 of 51)Montana: 27.0% (rank 47 of 51)New Hampshire: 29.8% (rank 25 of 51)New York: 30.9% (rank 15 of 51)Ohio: 29.0% (rank 36 of 51)Oregon: 31.2% (rank 10 of 51)Tennessee: 30.1% (rank 22 of 51)Utah: 29.4% (rank 29 of 51)Virginia: 29.7% (rank 26 of 51)Washington: 30.4% (rank 20 of 51)Wisconsin: 27.9% (rank 42 of 51)Nebraska: 28.5% (rank 38 of 51)South Carolina: 31.4% (rank 8 of 51)Idaho: 29.3% (rank 31 of 51)Nevada: 34.0% (rank 2 of 51)Vermont: 29.5% (rank 28 of 51)Louisiana: 32.5% (rank 5 of 51)Rhode Island: 30.5% (rank 19 of 51) District of Columbia: 29.0% (rank 36 of 51)
  • 24.2%–28.1%
  • 28.4%–29.3%
  • 29.4%–30.2%
  • 30.4%–31.2%
  • 31.4%–36.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 1-year estimates. Map: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas), Albers USA projection; Alaska and Hawaii repositioned.

Highest and lowest states

Median rent as % of income; dashed line marks the US figure.

Highest 10

  1. 1. Florida 36.1%
  2. 2. Nevada 34.0%
  3. 3. California 33.1%
  4. 4. Hawaii 32.6%
  5. 5. Louisiana 32.5%
  6. 6. Connecticut 32.1%
  7. 7. Georgia 31.6%
  8. 8. South Carolina 31.4%
  9. 8. Texas 31.4%
  10. 10. Arizona 31.2%

Lowest 10

  1. 42. Kentucky 27.9%
  2. 42. Missouri 27.9%
  3. 42. Wisconsin 27.9%
  4. 45. Iowa 27.2%
  5. 46. Kansas 27.1%
  6. 47. Montana 27.0%
  7. 48. South Dakota 26.9%
  8. 49. Alaska 26.5%
  9. 49. Wyoming 26.5%
  10. 51. North Dakota 24.2%

United States: 30.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 1-year estimates.

Full ranking

Download CSV 51 rows
Select a column header to sort (press again to reverse). Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level.
1 Florida 36.1% ±0.5 pts South 23,372,215
2 Nevada 34.0% ±0.8 pts West 3,267,467
3 California 33.1% ±0.2 pts West 39,431,263
4 Hawaii 32.6% ±1.1 pts West 1,446,146
5 Louisiana 32.5% ±0.9 pts South 4,597,740
6 Connecticut 32.1% ±0.8 pts Northeast 3,675,069
7 Georgia 31.6% ±0.5 pts South 11,180,878
8 South Carolina 31.4% ±0.8 pts South 5,478,831
8 Texas 31.4% ±0.3 pts South 31,290,831
10 Arizona 31.2% ±0.6 pts West 7,582,384
10 Colorado 31.2% ±0.7 pts West 5,957,494
10 New Jersey 31.2% ±0.5 pts Northeast 9,500,851
10 Oregon 31.2% ±0.7 pts West 4,272,371
14 Massachusetts 31.1% ±0.5 pts Northeast 7,136,171
15 New York 30.9% ±0.4 pts Northeast 19,867,248
16 Maryland 30.8% ±0.6 pts South 6,263,220
16 North Carolina 30.8% ±0.5 pts South 11,046,024
18 Michigan 30.7% ±0.5 pts Midwest 10,140,459
19 Rhode Island 30.5% ±1.2 pts Northeast 1,112,308
20 Washington 30.4% ±0.4 pts West 7,958,180
21 Mississippi 30.2% ±1.1 pts South 2,943,045
22 Delaware 30.1% ±1.6 pts South 1,051,917
22 Maine 30.1% ±1.2 pts Northeast 1,405,012
22 Tennessee 30.1% ±0.6 pts South 7,227,750
25 New Hampshire 29.8% ±1.1 pts Northeast 1,409,032
26 Pennsylvania 29.7% ±0.4 pts Northeast 13,078,751
26 Virginia 29.7% ±0.4 pts South 8,811,195
28 Vermont 29.5% ±1.3 pts Northeast 648,493
29 Illinois 29.4% ±0.4 pts Midwest 12,710,158
29 Utah 29.4% ±0.6 pts West 3,503,613
31 Alabama 29.3% ±0.6 pts South 5,157,699
31 Idaho 29.3% ±0.8 pts West 2,001,619
31 Indiana 29.3% ±0.5 pts Midwest 6,924,275
31 New Mexico 29.3% ±1.0 pts West 2,130,256
35 Minnesota 29.1% ±0.5 pts Midwest 5,793,151
36 District of Columbia 29.0% ±0.8 pts South 702,250
36 Ohio 29.0% ±0.4 pts Midwest 11,883,304
38 Nebraska 28.5% ±0.8 pts Midwest 2,005,466
39 Oklahoma 28.4% ±0.5 pts South 4,095,393
39 West Virginia 28.4% ±1.1 pts South 1,769,979
41 Arkansas 28.1% ±0.8 pts South 3,088,354
42 Kentucky 27.9% ±0.6 pts South 4,588,372
42 Missouri 27.9% ±0.6 pts Midwest 6,245,466
42 Wisconsin 27.9% ±0.4 pts Midwest 5,960,975
45 Iowa 27.2% ±0.7 pts Midwest 3,241,488
46 Kansas 27.1% ±0.6 pts Midwest 2,970,606
47 Montana 27.0% ±1.0 pts West 1,137,233
48 South Dakota 26.9% ±1.2 pts Midwest 924,669
49 Alaska 26.5% ±1.5 pts West 740,133
49 Wyoming 26.5% ±1.7 pts West 587,618
51 North Dakota 24.2% ±0.9 pts Midwest 796,568

Methodology

Census Bureau table B25071 (Median Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months), 1-year estimates. The ratio is calculated for each renter household and the median of those ratios is reported; it is not simply median rent divided by median income. Units where the ratio cannot be computed (no cash rent or zero/negative income) are excluded.

Puerto Rico and other US territories are not included. Rankings use competition ranking: tied values share a rank.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as rent-burdened?

The common US government threshold is 30% of household income spent on housing; 50% or more is considered severely burdened.

Why isn't the most expensive state the most burdened?

Burden depends on incomes too. States with high rents often also have high renter incomes, while some lower-rent states have lower renter incomes.

Sources

Data retrieved October 28, 2026. Values are shown as published, rounded for display; derived percentages are computed by us from published counts as described above. Download the CSV. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Cite this page: SortedLists, “US States by Rent Burden (Rent as % of Income)”, https://sortedlists.com/states-by-rent-burden/ (accessed October 28, 2026). Data: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, table B25071.