Millions of Americans Spend Half Their Paycheck on Rent. Here Are Median Rental Prices by State

A newly released report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University found that in 2022, half of all U.S. renters were cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. What’s more, over 12 million Americans were spending at least half their paycheck on rent. The rise in unaffordable housing is coupled with an increase in homelessness across the country— in January 2023, a record all-time high of 653,100 individuals were homeless in the U.S., the report says.

Though renters are feeling the pinch, exactly how much rent prices will cost you varies by state. The median rent cost is highest in Hawaii, where renters spend $1,868 per month. On the other hand, renters in West Virginia pay the least—with median rent prices coming in at $831 per month.

Here’s what renters can expect to pay monthly in each state as of 2022, according to data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey.