What does this rent paid by current tenants ranking show?

It orders states by Median gross rent. It is a comparison of this one published measure, not an overall ranking of where to live.

Where do these figures come from?

U.S. Census Bureau supplies this measure. States without a comparable published value are shown as not ranked rather than estimated.

How should I use this ranking?

Use it to narrow a search, then open a state or county profile for the underlying figures, source dates and caveats. A statewide number may not describe every neighbourhood.

Rankings · Housing

The cheapest states to rent in

Median gross rent.

Census ACS 5-year, table B25064: the median rent actually paid by people already living here, including utilities. Different from the asking-rent index above, which tracks what new leases are listed at — asking rent runs higher and moves sooner. This one covers every county, including Connecticut's planning regions, where the asking-rent index is still published for the counties abolished in 2022.

How to read this ranking

West Virginia has the lowest published rent paid by current tenants in this comparison, at $868. The next states shown are North Dakota ($931) and Arkansas ($938).

The table orders 51 states by median gross rent. It describes one published measure, not an overall judgment about where to live.

Use the result as a starting point, then compare the underlying source, dates, and local county figures before making a decision. Census ACS 5-year, table B25064: the median rent actually paid by people already living here, including utilities. Different from the asking-rent index above, which tracks what new leases are listed at — asking rent runs higher and moves sooner. This one covers every county, including Connecticut's planning regions, where the asking-rent index is still published for the counties abolished in 2022.

1West Virginia$868
2North Dakota$931
3Arkansas$938
4South Dakota$941
5Iowa$957
6Kentucky$957
7Mississippi$966
8Oklahoma$1,002
9Alabama$1,008
10Wyoming$1,010
11Missouri$1,030
12Ohio$1,030
13Nebraska$1,049
14Kansas$1,051
15Louisiana$1,056
16Indiana$1,063
17Wisconsin$1,071
18New Mexico$1,073
19Montana$1,074
20Michigan$1,117
21Maine$1,169
22Tennessee$1,171
23South Carolina$1,194
24North Carolina$1,215
25Pennsylvania$1,224
26Vermont$1,239
27Idaho$1,251
28Minnesota$1,272
29Illinois$1,292
30Rhode Island$1,357
31Delaware$1,378
32Texas$1,386
33Alaska$1,397
34Georgia$1,397
35New Hampshire$1,488
36Utah$1,489
37Oregon$1,497
38Arizona$1,518
39Connecticut$1,537
40Nevada$1,580
41Virginia$1,599
42Florida$1,644
43New York$1,671
44Washington$1,712
45New Jersey$1,719
46Colorado$1,727
47Maryland$1,732
48Massachusetts$1,788
49District of Columbia$1,954
50Hawaii$1,972
51California$2,042

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Frequently asked questions

What does this ranking show?: It orders states by Median gross rent. It is one measure, not an overall verdict on where to live.
Where do the figures come from?: U.S. Census Bureau. States without a comparable published figure are listed as not ranked rather than estimated.
How should I use it?: Use it to narrow your search, then open a state or county profile for the source date, caveats and local context.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau. · How this is built

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