Overview
- WalletHub's study, released Wednesday, ranks 182 cities by the share of median household income needed to cover median annual gross rent using U.S. Census data current to March 18, 2026.
- Bismarck, North Dakota leads affordability with rent at about 15.3% of median income, while Miami ranks last with residents paying about 33.8%.
- Florida stands out for high rent burdens, with no city in the top 100 and three in the bottom 10 including Miami at 182, Orlando at 175, and Pembroke Pines at 174; Jacksonville ranks 125 at 25.16%.
- Rents have climbed by more than 50% over the past decade, according to the Federal Reserve’s Consumer Price Index, and wages have not kept pace, squeezing savings and delaying paths to homeownership.
- Atlanta ranks 103, with renters spending about 24% of income on rent and average listings near $2,000 a month, reflecting midlevel pressure compared with smaller inland cities that dominate the top tier.