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Locustep

State ranking · Updated October 2026

Most Affordable States: Rent as a Share of Income (2026)

Cheap rent means little if pay is low too. This ranks every state by how much of the median household income a year of two-bedroom rent takes.

#1 is North Dakota (17.0% of income). Last of 50 is New York (33.6% of income).

A year of two-bedroom Fair Market Rent as a share of the state’s median household income.

Rank	State	Figure
1	North Dakota	17.0% of income
2	Wyoming	17.4% of income
3	Iowa	17.7% of income
4	South Dakota	18.5% of income
5	Utah	18.5% of income
6	Alaska	19.1% of income
7	Kansas	19.3% of income
8	Wisconsin	19.4% of income
9	Nebraska	19.8% of income
10	Idaho	20.2% of income
11	Oklahoma	20.4% of income
12	Arkansas	20.5% of income
13	West Virginia	20.5% of income
14	Minnesota	20.8% of income
15	Missouri	21.0% of income
16	Alabama	21.1% of income
17	Ohio	21.2% of income
18	Kentucky	21.5% of income
19	Indiana	21.7% of income
20	Mississippi	22.1% of income
21	Texas	22.4% of income
22	Michigan	22.6% of income
23	New Mexico	22.7% of income
24	Louisiana	22.8% of income
25	Georgia	22.9% of income
26	Tennessee	23.0% of income
27	South Carolina	23.1% of income
28	Virginia	23.4% of income
29	North Carolina	23.4% of income
30	Pennsylvania	23.6% of income
31	Delaware	23.7% of income
32	Colorado	23.7% of income
33	Arizona	23.8% of income
34	Oregon	23.8% of income
35	New Hampshire	24.2% of income
36	Montana	24.4% of income
37	Maryland	24.5% of income
38	Washington	24.7% of income
39	Nevada	24.7% of income
40	Illinois	24.9% of income
41	Connecticut	25.4% of income
42	Vermont	25.7% of income
43	New Jersey	26.1% of income
44	Maine	26.9% of income
45	Rhode Island	27.5% of income
46	Massachusetts	29.4% of income
47	Hawaii	29.4% of income
48	Florida	30.3% of income
49	California	31.5% of income
50	New York	33.6% of income

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 ÷ 2024 ACS 1-year estimates (Census B19013)

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