Ranking · HUD
Ranking: fair market rent (2 bedrooms) by state
52 states ranked from highest to lowest. The highest is California ($2,632) and the lowest Puerto Rico ($641); the United States figure is $1,750. It compares housing costs, nothing more: it says nothing about quality of life.
Your county
And in your county?
Type your county and see its figure next to your state's and the U.S.
The key figures
- United States
- $1,750
- per month · Fiscal year 2027
- Highest: California
- $2,632
- 50% above the U.S.
- Lowest: Puerto Rico
- $641
- 63% below the U.S.
Fair Market Rents · Fiscal year 2027 Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
How it spreads across the states
In short
What the ranking says
The 5 highest are California ($2,632), Massachusetts ($2,566), Hawaii ($2,467), District of Columbia ($2,438) and New York ($2,402).
The 5 lowest are Puerto Rico ($641), West Virginia ($1,039), Arkansas ($1,061), Mississippi ($1,087) and Wyoming ($1,094).
The biggest gap between two consecutive places is between no. 51, West Virginia ($1,039), and no. 52, Puerto Rico ($641).
2 states share a figure with another and so sit at the same place; the biggest tie is 2 states, at $1,528.
The highest
- 1. California $2,632+50.4%
- 2. Massachusetts $2,566+46.6%
- 3. Hawaii $2,467+41.0%
The lowest
- 51. Puerto Rico $641−63.4%
- 50. West Virginia $1,039−40.6%
- 49. Arkansas $1,061−39.4%
The states, highest first
United States: $1,750
| 1 | California | $2,632 | +50.4% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $2,566 | +46.6% |
| 3 | Hawaii | $2,467 | +41.0% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $2,438 | +39.3% |
| 5 | New York | $2,402 | +37.3% |
| 6 | New Jersey | $2,268 | +29.6% |
| 7 | Maryland | $2,103 | +20.2% |
| 8 | Washington | $2,044 | +16.8% |
| 9 | Connecticut | $2,033 | +16.2% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $2,010 | +14.9% |
| 11 | Florida | $1,962 | +12.1% |
| 12 | Colorado | $1,916 | +9.5% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $1,911 | +9.2% |
| 14 | Virginia | $1,792 | +2.4% |
| 15 | Vermont | $1,773 | +1.3% |
| 16 | Delaware | $1,727 | −1.3% |
| 17 | Illinois | $1,724 | −1.5% |
| 18 | Maine | $1,714 | −2.1% |
| 19 | Oregon | $1,691 | −3.4% |
| 20 | Nevada | $1,672 | −4.5% |
| 21 | Arizona | $1,616 | −7.7% |
| 22 | Montana | $1,529 | −12.6% |
| 23= | Georgia | $1,528 | −12.7% |
| 23= | Pennsylvania | $1,528 | −12.7% |
| 24 | Alaska | $1,519 | −13.2% |
| 25 | Minnesota | $1,507 | −13.9% |
| 26 | Utah | $1,493 | −14.7% |
| 27 | Texas | $1,488 | −15.0% |
| 28 | North Carolina | $1,441 | −17.7% |
| 29 | South Carolina | $1,391 | −20.5% |
| 30 | Tennessee | $1,381 | −21.1% |
| 31 | Idaho | $1,367 | −21.9% |
| 32 | Michigan | $1,361 | −22.2% |
| 33 | Indiana | $1,302 | −25.6% |
| 34 | New Mexico | $1,282 | −26.7% |
| 35 | Ohio | $1,273 | −27.3% |
| 36 | Nebraska | $1,260 | −28.0% |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $1,251 | −28.5% |
| 38 | Missouri | $1,250 | −28.6% |
| 39 | Kansas | $1,212 | −30.7% |
| 40 | South Dakota | $1,187 | −32.2% |
| 41 | Alabama | $1,170 | −33.1% |
| 42 | Louisiana | $1,161 | −33.7% |
| 43 | Kentucky | $1,155 | −34.0% |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $1,127 | −35.6% |
| 45 | Iowa | $1,113 | −36.4% |
| 46 | North Dakota | $1,102 | −37.0% |
| 47 | Wyoming | $1,094 | −37.5% |
| 48 | Mississippi | $1,087 | −37.9% |
| 49 | Arkansas | $1,061 | −39.4% |
| 50 | West Virginia | $1,039 | −40.6% |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $641 | −63.4% |
- California $2,632+50.4%
- Massachusetts $2,566+46.6%
- Hawaii $2,467+41.0%
- District of Columbia $2,438+39.3%
- New York $2,402+37.3%
- New Jersey $2,268+29.6%
- Maryland $2,103+20.2%
- Washington $2,044+16.8%
- Connecticut $2,033+16.2%
- New Hampshire $2,010+14.9%
- Florida $1,962+12.1%
- Colorado $1,916+9.5%
- Rhode Island $1,911+9.2%
- Virginia $1,792+2.4%
- Vermont $1,773+1.3%
- Delaware $1,727−1.3%
- Illinois $1,724−1.5%
- Maine $1,714−2.1%
- Oregon $1,691−3.4%
- Nevada $1,672−4.5%
- Arizona $1,616−7.7%
- Montana $1,529−12.6%
- Georgia $1,528−12.7%
- Pennsylvania $1,528−12.7%
- Alaska $1,519−13.2%
- Minnesota $1,507−13.9%
- Utah $1,493−14.7%
- Texas $1,488−15.0%
- North Carolina $1,441−17.7%
- South Carolina $1,391−20.5%
- Tennessee $1,381−21.1%
- Idaho $1,367−21.9%
- Michigan $1,361−22.2%
- Indiana $1,302−25.6%
- New Mexico $1,282−26.7%
- Ohio $1,273−27.3%
- Nebraska $1,260−28.0%
- Wisconsin $1,251−28.5%
- Missouri $1,250−28.6%
- Kansas $1,212−30.7%
- South Dakota $1,187−32.2%
- Alabama $1,170−33.1%
- Louisiana $1,161−33.7%
- Kentucky $1,155−34.0%
- Oklahoma $1,127−35.6%
- Iowa $1,113−36.4%
- North Dakota $1,102−37.0%
- Wyoming $1,094−37.5%
- Mississippi $1,087−37.9%
- Arkansas $1,061−39.4%
- West Virginia $1,039−40.6%
- Puerto Rico $641−63.4%
Fair Market Rents · Fiscal year 2027 Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
The counties at each end
Among the 3222 counties with data, the 20 highest and the 20 lowest. Tap a county to open its page.
The highest
- 1 Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia $4,254
- 2= Marin CountyCalifornia $3,697
- 2= San Francisco CountyCalifornia $3,697
- 2= San Mateo CountyCalifornia $3,697
- 3 Nantucket CountyMassachusetts $3,583
- 4 Napa CountyCalifornia $3,375
- 5 Santa Clara CountyCalifornia $3,272
- 6 Santa Barbara CountyCalifornia $3,106
- 7 Orange CountyCalifornia $3,057
- 8= Essex CountyMassachusetts $3,008
- 8= Middlesex CountyMassachusetts $3,008
- 8= Norfolk CountyMassachusetts $3,008
- 8= Plymouth CountyMassachusetts $3,008
- 8= Suffolk CountyMassachusetts $3,008
- 9 San Benito CountyCalifornia $3,004
- 10= Bronx CountyNew York $2,971
- 10= Kings CountyNew York $2,971
- 10= New York CountyNew York $2,971
- 10= Putnam CountyNew York $2,971
- 10= Queens CountyNew York $2,971
The lowest
- 714= Vieques MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Utuado MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Santa Isabel MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Salinas MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Patillas MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Maricao MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Las Marías MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Lares MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Jayuya MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Guayama MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Guánica MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Culebra MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Coamo MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Arroyo MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 714= Adjuntas MunicipioPuerto Rico $517
- 713= Orocovis MunicipioPuerto Rico $521
- 713= Ciales MunicipioPuerto Rico $521
- 713= Barranquitas MunicipioPuerto Rico $521
- 713= Aibonito MunicipioPuerto Rico $521
- 712= Yauco MunicipioPuerto Rico $535
What it means for your family
Fair market rent is the figure HUD uses as the reference for housing vouchers (Section 8) in your area. If you have a voucher or are on a waiting list, it gives you an idea of the program's rent range.
How to read this ranking
- 1A cost ranking is not a quality-of-life ranking: a high or low value says nothing about what living in a place is like.
- 2Ties share a rank. When many places share the minimum (the FHA floor), they appear with the same rank.
- 3The difference from the United States compares with the national figure from the same source and date.
- It is an administrative reference, not the lowest or the highest price on the market. There are homes below it and many above it.
- In some areas HUD uses the 50th percentile, and in several metros it publishes rents by ZIP code (SAFMRs), which we do not show yet.
- Counties in the same metropolitan area share the figure even when their markets differ.