Ranking · U.S. Census Bureau
Ranking: renters with a rent burden by state
52 states ranked from highest to lowest. The highest is Florida (60%) and the lowest North Dakota (39%); the United States figure is 51%. 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
- 51%
- Average 2020–2024
- Highest: Florida
- 60%
- 18% above the U.S.
- Lowest: North Dakota
- 39%
- 24% below the U.S.
American Community Survey · Average 2020–2024 Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
How it spreads across the states
In short
What the ranking says
The 5 highest are Florida (60%), Hawaii (57%), Nevada (56%), California (55%) and Louisiana (55%).
The 5 lowest are North Dakota (39%), South Dakota (40%), Wyoming (43%), Kansas (43%) and Wisconsin (44%).
The biggest gap between two consecutive places is between no. 1, Florida (60%), and no. 2, Hawaii (57%).
2 states share a figure with another and so sit at the same place; the biggest tie is 2 states, at 48%.
The lowest
- 51. North Dakota 39%−23.9%
- 50. South Dakota 40%−22.2%
- 49. Wyoming 43%−15.7%
The states, highest first
United States: 51%
| 1 | Florida | 60% | +17.5% |
| 2 | Hawaii | 57% | +10.9% |
| 3 | Nevada | 56% | +9.3% |
| 4 | California | 55% | +8.2% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 55% | +7.1% |
| 6 | Colorado | 53% | +3.5% |
| 7 | Connecticut | 53% | +2.9% |
| 8 | Oregon | 52% | +2.7% |
| 9 | Georgia | 52% | +2.5% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 52% | +1.9% |
| 11 | New York | 52% | +1.9% |
| 12 | Massachusetts | 52% | +1.3% |
| 13 | Texas | 52% | +1.2% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 52% | +0.9% |
| 15 | Maryland | 51% | +0.7% |
| 16 | Arizona | 51% | +0.6% |
| 17 | Mississippi | 51% | +0.3% |
| 18 | Puerto Rico | 51% | −0.7% |
| 19 | Michigan | 50% | −1.4% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 50% | −1.8% |
| 21 | Washington | 50% | −2.3% |
| 22 | Delaware | 50% | −2.9% |
| 23 | North Carolina | 49% | −4.4% |
| 24 | West Virginia | 49% | −4.4% |
| 25 | Tennessee | 49% | −4.5% |
| 26 | Alabama | 49% | −4.5% |
| 27 | Virginia | 49% | −5.0% |
| 28 | Maine | 48% | −5.3% |
| 29 | Vermont | 48% | −5.3% |
| 30= | New Hampshire | 48% | −5.7% |
| 30= | Pennsylvania | 48% | −5.7% |
| 31 | Minnesota | 48% | −5.9% |
| 32 | Indiana | 48% | −6.0% |
| 33 | Rhode Island | 48% | −6.2% |
| 34 | Illinois | 48% | −6.2% |
| 35 | Utah | 47% | −7.6% |
| 36 | Idaho | 47% | −8.3% |
| 37 | District of Columbia | 47% | −8.8% |
| 38 | Oklahoma | 46% | −9.4% |
| 39 | Ohio | 46% | −10.2% |
| 40 | Missouri | 46% | −10.9% |
| 41 | Kentucky | 45% | −11.2% |
| 42 | Nebraska | 45% | −11.9% |
| 43 | Arkansas | 45% | −12.4% |
| 44 | Montana | 45% | −12.5% |
| 45 | Alaska | 45% | −12.7% |
| 46 | Iowa | 44% | −14.1% |
| 47 | Wisconsin | 44% | −14.5% |
| 48 | Kansas | 43% | −14.9% |
| 49 | Wyoming | 43% | −15.7% |
| 50 | South Dakota | 40% | −22.2% |
| 51 | North Dakota | 39% | −23.9% |
- Florida 60%+17.5%
- Hawaii 57%+10.9%
- Nevada 56%+9.3%
- California 55%+8.2%
- Louisiana 55%+7.1%
- Colorado 53%+3.5%
- Connecticut 53%+2.9%
- Oregon 52%+2.7%
- Georgia 52%+2.5%
- South Carolina 52%+1.9%
- New York 52%+1.9%
- Massachusetts 52%+1.3%
- Texas 52%+1.2%
- New Jersey 52%+0.9%
- Maryland 51%+0.7%
- Arizona 51%+0.6%
- Mississippi 51%+0.3%
- Puerto Rico 51%−0.7%
- Michigan 50%−1.4%
- New Mexico 50%−1.8%
- Washington 50%−2.3%
- Delaware 50%−2.9%
- North Carolina 49%−4.4%
- West Virginia 49%−4.4%
- Tennessee 49%−4.5%
- Alabama 49%−4.5%
- Virginia 49%−5.0%
- Maine 48%−5.3%
- Vermont 48%−5.3%
- New Hampshire 48%−5.7%
- Pennsylvania 48%−5.7%
- Minnesota 48%−5.9%
- Indiana 48%−6.0%
- Rhode Island 48%−6.2%
- Illinois 48%−6.2%
- Utah 47%−7.6%
- Idaho 47%−8.3%
- District of Columbia 47%−8.8%
- Oklahoma 46%−9.4%
- Ohio 46%−10.2%
- Missouri 46%−10.9%
- Kentucky 45%−11.2%
- Nebraska 45%−11.9%
- Arkansas 45%−12.4%
- Montana 45%−12.5%
- Alaska 45%−12.7%
- Iowa 44%−14.1%
- Wisconsin 44%−14.5%
- Kansas 43%−14.9%
- Wyoming 43%−15.7%
- South Dakota 40%−22.2%
- North Dakota 39%−23.9%
American Community Survey · Average 2020–2024 Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
The counties at each end
Among the 2959 counties with data, the 20 highest and the 20 lowest. Tap a county to open its page.
The highest
- 1 Wahkiakum CountyWashington 77%
- 2 Esmeralda CountyNevada 76%
- 3 Claiborne ParishLouisiana 75%
- 4 Jefferson Davis CountyMississippi 74%
- 5 Nevada CountyArkansas 73%
- 6 King William CountyVirginia 72%
- 7 East Carroll ParishLouisiana 69%
- 8= Caldwell ParishLouisiana 68%
- 8= West Feliciana ParishLouisiana 68%
- 9 Pointe Coupee ParishLouisiana 68%
- 10 Clarke CountyVirginia 68%
- 11 Clay CountyWest Virginia 67%
- 12 Lincoln ParishLouisiana 67%
- 13 McIntosh CountyGeorgia 67%
- 14 Pope CountyMinnesota 66%
- 15 City of PoquosonVirginia 66%
- 16 Stewart CountyGeorgia 66%
- 17= Catahoula ParishLouisiana 66%
- 17= Webster ParishLouisiana 66%
- 18 Ohio CountyIndiana 66%
The lowest
- 1911 Valley CountyNebraska 19%
- 1910 Osborne CountyKansas 19%
- 1909 Lucas CountyIowa 19%
- 1908 Sargent CountyNorth Dakota 19%
- 1907 Holt CountyMissouri 19%
- 1906 Schuyler CountyMissouri 20%
- 1905 Webster CountyKentucky 20%
- 1904 Northwest Arctic BoroughAlaska 20%
- 1903 Crittenden CountyKentucky 20%
- 1902 Nelson CountyNorth Dakota 20%
- 1901 Custer CountySouth Dakota 20%
- 1900= Scott CountyKansas 21%
- 1900= Chase CountyKansas 21%
- 1899 Hamlin CountySouth Dakota 21%
- 1898 Dooly CountyGeorgia 21%
- 1897 Caldwell CountyMissouri 21%
- 1896 Knox CountyMissouri 21%
- 1895 Hamilton CountyIllinois 21%
- 1894 Bottineau CountyNorth Dakota 21%
- 1893 Worth CountyIowa 21%
What it means for your family
It is the share of renting households that pay a large part of their income for housing. If that is you, there is rental help and there are guides on your options.
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 leaves out households for which the Census could not compute the share (no income, or no cash rent).
- It is a share of households, not an amount: a cheap place with low incomes can carry more burden than an expensive one with high incomes.
- In small counties the margin of error is large; we mark those numbers as approximate or leave them out.