Overview
- ConsumerAffairs' 2026 ranking, which scores affordability, availability, tenant protections and quality of life, puts North Dakota first and Florida last.
- In Florida, typical renters spend about 37.4% of their income on a median $1,669 monthly rent, the highest burden reported in the study.
- Researchers also found Florida lacks statewide laws in all four tenant-protection areas they evaluated, leaving renters with fewer safeguards.
- Texas fell to No. 41 from No. 22 in 2025 as weak protections and uneven affordability outweighed its high rental availability.
- Midwestern and Mountain West states dominated the top tier, and no Southern state made the top 10 in this year’s list.