Top 50 U.S. States by Rent Burden (Rent-to-Income %), 2025
This ranking shows where renting is most financially stretched across the United States. We compute a state “rent burden rate” from the American Community Survey (ACS) distribution for Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) among renter households with computable GRAPI. The headline metric is the share spending 30% or more of household income on gross rent.
Disclaimer
Key takeaways
Highest rent-burdened state
Florida · 62.1%
Share paying ≥30% of income on rent
Next highest
Nevada · 57.6%
Large severe-side component
Large high-cost markets
California · 55.8% · Hawaii · 55.0%
High pressure across many renters
Lowest rent-burdened state
North Dakota · 36.2%
Still significant: >1 in 3 renters
- It isn’t only “coastal.” Several Sun Belt states rank near the top, consistent with rapid rent growth and uneven income gains.
- Watch the “severe-side” share. A high 35%+ component suggests deeper stress for the most stretched renter households.
- Use the metric as a distribution signal. It captures how many renters are under pressure, not just average rent dollars.
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Includes Top 50 table files (CSV/XLSX) and exported chart images (PNG) for Top 50 U.S. States by Rent Burden (Rent-to-Income %), 2025.
