Ranking · U.S. Census Bureau
Ranking: typical rent by state
52 states ranked from highest to lowest. The highest is California ($2,036) and the lowest Puerto Rico ($578); the United States figure is $1,413. 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
- $1,413
- per month · Average 2020–2024
- Highest: California
- $2,036
- 44% above the U.S.
- Lowest: Puerto Rico
- $578
- 59% 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 California ($2,036), Hawaii ($1,971), District of Columbia ($1,954), Massachusetts ($1,762) and Colorado ($1,761).
The 5 lowest are Puerto Rico ($578), West Virginia ($872), South Dakota ($946), Arkansas ($947) and North Dakota ($954).
The biggest gap between two consecutive places is between no. 51, West Virginia ($872), and no. 52, Puerto Rico ($578).
2 states share a figure with another and so sit at the same place; the biggest tie is 2 states, at $954.
The highest
- 1. California $2,036+44.1%
- 2. Hawaii $1,971+39.5%
- 3. District of Columbia $1,954+38.3%
The lowest
- 51. Puerto Rico $578−59.1%
- 50. West Virginia $872−38.3%
- 49. South Dakota $946−33.1%
The states, highest first
United States: $1,413
| 1 | California | $2,036 | +44.1% |
| 2 | Hawaii | $1,971 | +39.5% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $1,954 | +38.3% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $1,762 | +24.7% |
| 5 | Colorado | $1,761 | +24.6% |
| 6 | Washington | $1,760 | +24.6% |
| 7 | New Jersey | $1,720 | +21.7% |
| 8 | Maryland | $1,705 | +20.7% |
| 9 | Florida | $1,669 | +18.1% |
| 10 | New York | $1,621 | +14.7% |
| 11 | Nevada | $1,597 | +13.0% |
| 12 | Virginia | $1,579 | +11.7% |
| 13 | Arizona | $1,543 | +9.2% |
| 14 | Oregon | $1,525 | +7.9% |
| 15 | Utah | $1,496 | +5.9% |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $1,491 | +5.5% |
| 17 | Connecticut | $1,488 | +5.3% |
| 18 | Alaska | $1,419 | +0.4% |
| 19 | Texas | $1,403 | −0.7% |
| 20 | Delaware | $1,401 | −0.8% |
| 21 | Georgia | $1,393 | −1.4% |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $1,342 | −5.0% |
| 23 | Minnesota | $1,280 | −9.4% |
| 24 | Illinois | $1,274 | −9.8% |
| 25 | Idaho | $1,238 | −12.4% |
| 26 | Vermont | $1,234 | −12.7% |
| 27 | North Carolina | $1,228 | −13.1% |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $1,209 | −14.4% |
| 29 | Tennessee | $1,189 | −15.9% |
| 30 | South Carolina | $1,180 | −16.5% |
| 31 | Maine | $1,139 | −19.4% |
| 32 | Michigan | $1,129 | −20.1% |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $1,087 | −23.1% |
| 34 | Montana | $1,081 | −23.5% |
| 35 | Nebraska | $1,072 | −24.1% |
| 36 | New Mexico | $1,067 | −24.5% |
| 37 | Louisiana | $1,064 | −24.7% |
| 38 | Indiana | $1,062 | −24.8% |
| 39 | Kansas | $1,060 | −25.0% |
| 40 | Ohio | $1,034 | −26.8% |
| 41 | Missouri | $1,033 | −26.9% |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $1,014 | −28.2% |
| 43 | Alabama | $1,007 | −28.7% |
| 44 | Wyoming | $992 | −29.8% |
| 45 | Iowa | $972 | −31.2% |
| 46 | Kentucky | $967 | −31.6% |
| 47= | Mississippi | $954 | −32.5% |
| 47= | North Dakota | $954 | −32.5% |
| 48 | Arkansas | $947 | −33.0% |
| 49 | South Dakota | $946 | −33.1% |
| 50 | West Virginia | $872 | −38.3% |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $578 | −59.1% |
- California $2,036+44.1%
- Hawaii $1,971+39.5%
- District of Columbia $1,954+38.3%
- Massachusetts $1,762+24.7%
- Colorado $1,761+24.6%
- Washington $1,760+24.6%
- New Jersey $1,720+21.7%
- Maryland $1,705+20.7%
- Florida $1,669+18.1%
- New York $1,621+14.7%
- Nevada $1,597+13.0%
- Virginia $1,579+11.7%
- Arizona $1,543+9.2%
- Oregon $1,525+7.9%
- Utah $1,496+5.9%
- New Hampshire $1,491+5.5%
- Connecticut $1,488+5.3%
- Alaska $1,419+0.4%
- Texas $1,403−0.7%
- Delaware $1,401−0.8%
- Georgia $1,393−1.4%
- Rhode Island $1,342−5.0%
- Minnesota $1,280−9.4%
- Illinois $1,274−9.8%
- Idaho $1,238−12.4%
- Vermont $1,234−12.7%
- North Carolina $1,228−13.1%
- Pennsylvania $1,209−14.4%
- Tennessee $1,189−15.9%
- South Carolina $1,180−16.5%
- Maine $1,139−19.4%
- Michigan $1,129−20.1%
- Wisconsin $1,087−23.1%
- Montana $1,081−23.5%
- Nebraska $1,072−24.1%
- New Mexico $1,067−24.5%
- Louisiana $1,064−24.7%
- Indiana $1,062−24.8%
- Kansas $1,060−25.0%
- Ohio $1,034−26.8%
- Missouri $1,033−26.9%
- Oklahoma $1,014−28.2%
- Alabama $1,007−28.7%
- Wyoming $992−29.8%
- Iowa $972−31.2%
- Kentucky $967−31.6%
- Mississippi $954−32.5%
- North Dakota $954−32.5%
- Arkansas $947−33.0%
- South Dakota $946−33.1%
- West Virginia $872−38.3%
- Puerto Rico $578−59.1%
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 3182 counties with data, the 20 highest and the 20 lowest. Tap a county to open its page.
The highest
- 1 San Mateo CountyCalifornia $2,922
- 2 Santa Clara CountyCalifornia $2,857
- 3 Marin CountyCalifornia $2,668
- 4 San Francisco CountyCalifornia $2,476
- 5 Orange CountyCalifornia $2,434
- 6 Loudoun CountyVirginia $2,386
- 7 Contra Costa CountyCalifornia $2,375
- 8 Alameda CountyCalifornia $2,357
- 9 Arlington CountyVirginia $2,322
- 10 Ventura CountyCalifornia $2,317
- 11 Fairfax CountyVirginia $2,276
- 12 Santa Cruz CountyCalifornia $2,264
- 13 Suffolk CountyNew York $2,255
- 14 Nassau CountyNew York $2,252
- 15 San Diego CountyCalifornia $2,246
- 16 City of FairfaxVirginia $2,245
- 17 Napa CountyCalifornia $2,237
- 18 Nantucket CountyMassachusetts $2,213
- 19 Middlesex CountyMassachusetts $2,201
- 20 New York CountyNew York $2,197
The lowest
- 1050 Issaquena CountyMississippi $339
- 1049 Guánica MunicipioPuerto Rico $349
- 1048 Sheridan CountyNorth Dakota $373
- 1047 Hardin CountyIllinois $379
- 1046 Worth CountyMissouri $381
- 1045 Schuyler CountyMissouri $382
- 1044 Las Marías MunicipioPuerto Rico $412
- 1043 Maricao MunicipioPuerto Rico $413
- 1042 Adjuntas MunicipioPuerto Rico $425
- 1041 Vieques MunicipioPuerto Rico $430
- 1040 Ciales MunicipioPuerto Rico $431
- 1039= Greene CountyAlabama $432
- 1039= Elliott CountyKentucky $432
- 1038 Guayama MunicipioPuerto Rico $436
- 1037 Jackson CountySouth Dakota $442
- 1036 Sioux CountyNorth Dakota $444
- 1035= Presidio CountyTexas $448
- 1035= Jefferson CountyMississippi $448
- 1034 Pope CountyIllinois $449
- 1033 Martin CountyKentucky $450
What it means for your family
Typical rent is what a renting household in your area pays today, utilities included. Compare it with your household income before you sign a lease.
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 includes households that have rented the same home for years, at rents below a new lease. The rent you are quoted today is usually higher.
- It mixes every home size; for a reference by bedrooms use HUD’s Fair Market Rent.
- In small counties the margin of error is large; we mark those numbers as approximate or leave them out.