City rankings · United States

Most affordable US cities for renters

Ranked by the share of gross income the typical renter spends on a 1-bedroom apartment. Lower is better — it means more of your paycheck stays with you.

Seattle

Median $2,300/mo · Need $92,000/yr

28%

Manageable

Minneapolis

Median $1,700/mo · Need $68,000/yr

29%

Manageable

San Francisco

Median $2,800/mo · Need $112,000/yr

30%

Manageable

Chicago

Median $2,000/mo · Need $80,000/yr

30%

Manageable

Austin

Median $1,750/mo · Need $70,000/yr

30%

Manageable

Denver

Median $1,900/mo · Need $76,000/yr

30%

Manageable

Atlanta

Median $1,700/mo · Need $68,000/yr

30%

Manageable

Kansas City

Median $1,450/mo · Need $58,000/yr

31%

Manageable

Columbus

Median $1,450/mo · Need $58,000/yr

31%

Manageable

Indianapolis

Median $1,350/mo · Need $54,000/yr

31%

Manageable

Raleigh

Median $1,800/mo · Need $72,000/yr

32%

Manageable

Salt Lake City

Median $1,800/mo · Need $72,000/yr

32%

Manageable

Houston

Median $1,600/mo · Need $64,000/yr

33%

Manageable

San Antonio

Median $1,500/mo · Need $60,000/yr

33%

Manageable

Boston

Median $2,900/mo · Need $116,000/yr

34%

Manageable

Phoenix

Median $1,700/mo · Need $68,000/yr

34%

Manageable

Portland

Median $1,950/mo · Need $78,000/yr

34%

Manageable

Charlotte

Median $1,850/mo · Need $74,000/yr

36%

Stretch

Dallas

Median $1,850/mo · Need $74,000/yr

36%

Stretch

Las Vegas

Median $1,650/mo · Need $66,000/yr

37%

Stretch

San Jose

Median $3,500/mo · Need $140,000/yr

37%

Stretch

New York

Median $3,200/mo · Need $128,000/yr

38%

Stretch

Los Angeles

Median $2,700/mo · Need $108,000/yr

38%

Stretch

Philadelphia

Median $1,850/mo · Need $74,000/yr

38%

Stretch

Nashville

Median $2,100/mo · Need $84,000/yr

39%

Stretch

Sacramento

Median $2,100/mo · Need $84,000/yr

39%

Stretch

Miami

Median $2,700/mo · Need $108,000/yr

42%

Stretch

Washington DC

Median $2,850/mo · Need $114,000/yr

42%

Stretch

Tampa

Median $2,100/mo · Need $84,000/yr

43%

Stretch

Orlando

Median $1,950/mo · Need $78,000/yr

43%

Stretch

San Diego

Median $2,800/mo · Need $112,000/yr

44%

Stretch

Key findings

Seattle is the most affordable US city at 28% of income, while San Diego is the least affordable at 44% — a gap of 16 percentage points.
14 cities (Charlotte, Dallas, Las Vegas, San Jose, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Nashville, Sacramento, Miami, Washington DC, Tampa, Orlando, San Diego) sit in the “Stretch” or “Risky” tier (35%+), meaning the median renter devotes more than a third of gross income to housing.
Seattle (#1) and San Francisco (#3) rank better than their sky-high absolute rents might suggest — tech-sector salaries in these metro areas compress the rent-to-income ratio even when nominal rents are among the highest in the country.

How to read this

The % shows the median rent-to-income ratio for renters in each city — based on gross income and typical 1-bedroom rent. Under 25% is comfortable, 25–35% is manageable, 35–45% is a stretch, 45%+ is risky. Click any city for the full breakdown and to check your own salary against local benchmarks.

Also explore

Most affordable cities globally →Most affordable cities in Europe →Most expensive cities for renters →Where can I afford to live on my salary? →