2024 Census Data

Rent Affordability Index by City

Median rent as a share of household income in the 95 largest U.S. cities, from Census Bureau survey data

95 Cities Survey year: 2024

24.7%

Lowest
(San Francisco, CA)

38.7%

Highest
(Miami, FL)

30.9%

United States
(all renter households)

68 of 95

Cities where the median
is above 30%

Download all 95 cities (CSV) Rent affordability calculator

10 Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income (2024)

Rank City Median Gross Rent Median Household Income Rent as Share of Income Margin of Error (points)
1 San Francisco, CA $2,448 $139,801 24.7% ±0.7
2 Anchorage, AK $1,536 $105,356 26.3% ±1.9
3 Jersey City, NJ $2,182 $100,751 27.2% ±1.5
4 Irving, TX $1,734 $84,849 27.5% ±1.5
5 Seattle, WA $2,007 $118,745 27.6% ±0.8
6 Toledo, OH $908 $50,562 28.0% ±1.3
7 Wichita, KS $989 $65,855 28.1% ±1.6
8 Plano, TX $1,904 $115,901 28.5% ±1.7
9 Minneapolis, MN $1,340 $77,732 28.7% ±1.4
10 San Juan, PR $591 $30,786 29.0% ±2.2

10 Cities Where Rent Takes the Largest Share of Income (2024)

Rank City Median Gross Rent Median Household Income Rent as Share of Income Margin of Error (points)
1 Miami, FL $1,975 $66,337 38.7% ±1.6
2 Detroit, MI $1,091 $39,209 37.7% ±2.1
3 Chula Vista, CA $2,338 $105,101 37.7% ±3.4
4 Arlington, TX $1,594 $74,388 36.8% ±2.2
5 Las Vegas, NV $1,688 $78,556 36.7% ±1.6
6 Winston-Salem, NC $1,271 $57,758 36.5% ±2.5
7 St. Petersburg, FL $1,805 $73,048 35.8% ±1.9
8 Anaheim, CA $2,258 $101,145 35.8% ±2.4
9 Bakersfield, CA $1,708 $82,093 35.7% ±2.3
10 New Orleans, LA $1,310 $58,821 35.3% ±2.4

Each figure is a survey estimate. Cities whose figures differ by less than their margins of error are not reliably ranked against each other.

Reading the Figures

30% or Less

The typical renter household in the city spends 30% of its income or less on rent and utilities. 27 of the 95 cities are here.

More Than 30%

HUD counts a household as cost-burdened when its housing costs, utilities included, are more than 30% of its income, and severely cost-burdened above 50%. A city median above 30% means at least half of its renter households are over that line. 68 of the 95 cities are here.

Frequently Asked Questions

For each city it shows the Census Bureau's estimate of median gross rent as a percentage of household income among renter households, from the 2024 American Community Survey (table B25071). Half of the renter households in a city spend a larger share than its figure and half a smaller one.

Among the 95 cities with at least 250,000 residents, the lowest figures are San Francisco, CA (24.7%), Anchorage, AK (26.3%), Jersey City, NJ (27.2%), Irving, TX (27.5%) and Seattle, WA (27.6%). A low share can reflect high incomes as much as low rents.

The highest figures are Miami, FL (38.7%), Detroit, MI (37.7%), Chula Vista, CA (37.7%), Arlington, TX (36.8%) and Las Vegas, NV (36.7%). For comparison, the figure for all U.S. renter households is 30.9%.

HUD counts a household as cost-burdened when its monthly housing costs, utilities included, are more than 30% of its income, and severely cost-burdened when they are more than 50%. Those definitions describe one household. In 68 of the 95 cities here the median itself is above 30%, which means at least half of renter households there are over that line.
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Methodology & data sources

  • Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, 2024. Tables B01003, B19013, B25064, B25071, as published in the Bureau's table-based summary file.
  • Measure: the Bureau's own estimate of median gross rent as a percentage of household income (table B25071). Gross rent includes utilities; the figure covers renter households only. Median rent and median household income (all households) are shown for context and are not used to compute it.
  • Cities included: every incorporated place or census designated place with at least 250,000 residents in the 2024 survey: 95 in all. Figures are for the city itself, not its metropolitan area.
  • Limitations: these are sample estimates with margins of error at the 90% confidence level; the survey year is 2024, so current rents will differ. This is general information, not financial advice.
  • Reproduce it: the dataset is built by a script from the Bureau's files with no manual edits; data retrieved 2026-10-12.

LeaseCraft provides document automation and general information — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Laws and local rules change; verify requirements with your lease, state housing agency, or a licensed professional before acting on any estimate or summary on this page.