Data · HUD

Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom

In the United States, the figure is $33.65, according to HUD (Fiscal year 2027). By state it runs from $12.33 in Puerto Rico to $50.62 in California, and the median state is at $28.98.

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United States: $33.65; per hour · Fiscal year 2027
Highest: California: $50.62; 50% above the U.S.
Lowest: Puerto Rico: $12.33; 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)

By state

How it spreads across the states

Each bar is a state, from the highest figure to the lowest. The line marks the U.S. figure. Tap a state in the table to see its counties.

Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom by state, highest to lowest · Fiscal year 2027

The 5 highest

1 California $50.62 +50%
2 Massachusetts $49.35 +47%
3 Hawaii $47.44 +41%
4 District of Columbia $46.88 +39%
5 New York $46.19 +37%

The 5 lowest

1 Puerto Rico $12.33 −63%
2 West Virginia $19.98 −41%
3 Arkansas $20.40 −39%
4 Mississippi $20.90 −38%
5 Wyoming $21.04 −37%

It compares housing costs, not quality of life.

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Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom by state · Fiscal year 2027

Alabama	$22.50	$1,170
Alaska	$29.21	$1,519
Arizona	$31.08	$1,616
Arkansas	$20.40	$1,061
California	$50.62	$2,632
Colorado	$36.85	$1,916
Connecticut	$39.10	$2,033
Delaware	$33.21	$1,727
District of Columbia	$46.88	$2,438
Florida	$37.73	$1,962
Georgia	$29.38	$1,528
Hawaii	$47.44	$2,467
Idaho	$26.29	$1,367
Illinois	$33.15	$1,724
Indiana	$25.04	$1,302
Iowa	$21.40	$1,113
Kansas	$23.31	$1,212
Kentucky	$22.21	$1,155
Louisiana	$22.33	$1,161
Maine	$32.96	$1,714
Maryland	$40.44	$2,103
Massachusetts	$49.35	$2,566
Michigan	$26.17	$1,361
Minnesota	$28.98	$1,507
Mississippi	$20.90	$1,087
Missouri	$24.04	$1,250
Montana	$29.40	$1,529
Nebraska	$24.23	$1,260
Nevada	$32.15	$1,672
New Hampshire	$38.65	$2,010
New Jersey	$43.62	$2,268
New Mexico	$24.65	$1,282
New York	$46.19	$2,402
North Carolina	$27.71	$1,441
North Dakota	$21.19	$1,102
Ohio	$24.48	$1,273
Oklahoma	$21.67	$1,127
Oregon	$32.52	$1,691
Pennsylvania	$29.38	$1,528
Puerto Rico	$12.33	$641
Rhode Island	$36.75	$1,911
South Carolina	$26.75	$1,391
South Dakota	$22.83	$1,187
Tennessee	$26.56	$1,381
Texas	$28.62	$1,488
Utah	$28.71	$1,493
Vermont	$34.10	$1,773
Virginia	$34.46	$1,792
Washington	$39.31	$2,044
West Virginia	$19.98	$1,039
Wisconsin	$24.06	$1,251
Wyoming	$21.04	$1,094

State Hourly wageFair Market Rent (2 bedrooms)
Alabama $22.50$1,170
Alaska $29.21$1,519
Arizona $31.08$1,616
Arkansas $20.40$1,061
California $50.62$2,632
Colorado $36.85$1,916
Connecticut $39.10$2,033
Delaware $33.21$1,727
District of Columbia $46.88$2,438
Florida $37.73$1,962
Georgia $29.38$1,528
Hawaii $47.44$2,467
Idaho $26.29$1,367
Illinois $33.15$1,724
Indiana $25.04$1,302
Iowa $21.40$1,113
Kansas $23.31$1,212
Kentucky $22.21$1,155
Louisiana $22.33$1,161
Maine $32.96$1,714
Maryland $40.44$2,103
Massachusetts $49.35$2,566
Michigan $26.17$1,361
Minnesota $28.98$1,507
Mississippi $20.90$1,087
Missouri $24.04$1,250
Montana $29.40$1,529
Nebraska $24.23$1,260
Nevada $32.15$1,672
New Hampshire $38.65$2,010
New Jersey $43.62$2,268
New Mexico $24.65$1,282
New York $46.19$2,402
North Carolina $27.71$1,441
North Dakota $21.19$1,102
Ohio $24.48$1,273
Oklahoma $21.67$1,127
Oregon $32.52$1,691
Pennsylvania $29.38$1,528
Puerto Rico $12.33$641
Rhode Island $36.75$1,911
South Carolina $26.75$1,391
South Dakota $22.83$1,187
Tennessee $26.56$1,381
Texas $28.62$1,488
Utah $28.71$1,493
Vermont $34.10$1,773
Virginia $34.46$1,792
Washington $39.31$2,044
West Virginia $19.98$1,039
Wisconsin $24.06$1,251
Wyoming $21.04$1,094

Text file (UTF-8) with one row per state, the source and its date. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.

Fair Market Rents · Fiscal year 2027 Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)

Bars of Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom by state. The 5 highest: California $50.62, Massachusetts $49.35, Hawaii $47.44, District of Columbia $46.88, New York $46.19. The 5 lowest: Wyoming $21.04, Mississippi $20.90, Arkansas $20.40, West Virginia $19.98, Puerto Rico $12.33. United States: $33.65. — The chart as an image Download or share it: it carries the source and the date of the data. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Download the chart

Official source

Methodology: where this number comes from

The source, the data date, how we compute it and what to know before you use it.

About this measure

Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD)
Published by: HUD
Type: Our calculation from the source
Data date: Fiscal year 2027
Geography: United States: 50 states (plus District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and 3,222 counties and municipalities
Unit: Dollars per hour
Updated: Every fiscal year (in effect October 1)
License: Public domain (U.S. government data)

Version and changes

If we correct a number, it is noted in recent changes.

Methodology

How we calculate it

Formula

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent × 12 months ÷ 30% ÷ 2,080 hours per year

We take HUD’s two-bedroom Fair Market Rent, multiply it by twelve months and divide it by 30% (the share of income rent should not exceed) and by 2,080 hours of work per year (40 hours a week, every week). The result is the hourly income needed. It resembles the “housing wage” the National Low Income Housing Coalition publishes, but it is our calculation with HUD’s data; it is not a rule of any program.

What the state figure shows

The state figure comes from its Fair Market Rent (the average of its counties weighted by population). Your county’s wage is on its page.

Before you use this number

It assumes one full-time income. With two incomes or more hours, the wage each person needs is lower.
30% is a reference, not a rule: many households pay more, and many programs use other limits.
It inherits the limits of the Fair Market Rent: an administrative reference by area, not the price of each home.

Fair Market Rents (HUD)

HUD

See it at the source

Current version: Fiscal year 2027
In effect since: October 1, 2026
Retrieved by us: November 6, 2026
Next update: Every fiscal year (in effect October 1)
License: Public domain (U.S. government data)

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The other measures in this group, with the U.S. figure.

Typical home value
$332,700

The median value of owner-occupied homes, from the Census Bureau.
Typical rent
$1,413

The median gross rent (rent plus basic utilities) of renter households, from the Census Bureau.
Home price change
85.0%

How much the price of the same homes changed according to the FHFA index: over 10 years and in 2025.
Fair Market Rent (2 bedrooms)
$1,750

What HUD estimates a modest 2-bedroom apartment costs in each area, utilities included.
Renters with a rent burden
51%

The share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent; also those spending 50% or more.

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Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom

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The key figures

How it spreads across the states

The 5 highest

The 5 lowest