Real Estate

The US cities with the most affordable rent in 2026

By Kristine Villarroel
Aerial View of Bismark, North Dakota during Summer
Bismarck, North Dakota, is the most affordable US city in 2026, per a WalletHub report. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock
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Not every city is built the same, and that's also true of rental markets.

While some cities are seeing cooling rents and more affordable housing efforts, rent prices in others continue to rise.

A recent WalletHub study ranked 182 US cities, including the 150 most populous cities in the country and at least two of the most populous in each state, by how much renters spend on rent, on average.

To calculate the share of income spent on rent, WalletHub used US Census Bureau data on median annual gross rent and median household income for each surveyed city.

"A general rule of thumb is that rent should not exceed 30% of the median income," Maggie Rong Hu, an assistant professor of real estate at Baruch College in New York, said in the study. "This ensures that renters can comfortably afford their housing without sacrificing other essential living expenses."

On average, people living in the 31 cities listed below spend about 18.5% of their income on rent, lower than the 23.46% across all measured cities.

In the most expensive cities in the study, including Miami, Detroit, and Newark, renters can spend up to 33.8% of their income on rent.

See the most affordable cities for renters across the US in 2026.

30. (Tie) Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky

Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
The central Kentucky city of Lexington-Fayette is famous for horses and bourbon country. Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 20.10%

30. (Tie) South Burlington, Vermont

South Burlington, Vermont.
South Burlington is a city next to Burlington and Lake Champlain. vermontalm/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 20.10%

29. Chesapeake, Virginia

Aerial of Norfork Virginia's Chesapeak Bay shoreline, buildings and marinas.
Chesapeake is a city next to Norfolk, Virginia. trekandshoot/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.96%

28. Amarillo, Texas

First Baptist Church Downtown Amarillo Texas
The Panhandle city of Amarillo is known for cattle country and wide-open plains. Dani California Dreamin/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.88%

27. Des Moines, Iowa

Aerial View of the Skyline of Des Moines, Iowa facing East
Des Moines, Iowa's capital, is a center for insurance and finance. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.84%

26. Oklahoma City

Skyline of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma City is Oklahoma's capital and one of the biggest cities in the Southern Plains. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.75%

25. Plano, Texas

Aerial View of Downtown, Plano Texas in the DFW Metro
Plano is a corporate-heavy suburb just north of Dallas. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.68%

24. Seattle

Seattle downtown skyline and Mount Rainier, Washington.
Seattle is known for tech, trade, and water views. SCStock/Getty Images

Income spent on rent: 19.67%

23. West Valley City, Utah

Skyline of Salt Lake City, UT with Snow capped Wasatch Mountains in background
West Valley City is a suburb of Salt Lake City in northern Utah. Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.57%

22. Fort Wayne, Indiana

Aerial Autumn Boulevard and Skyline in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, a northeast Indiana city, has strong manufacturing roots. Nicholas J Klein/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.52%

21. Omaha, Nebraska

Aerial View of Downtown Omaha, Nebraska in Autumn
Omaha is Nebraska's largest city and a major business center. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.46%

20. Fremont, California

Drone images showcasing residential neighborhoods in Fremont, California, with lush green hills in the background and a mix of townhomes, single-family homes, and commercial buildings. Ideal for theme
A Bay Area city in the heart of Silicon Valley's orbit, Fremont is America's happiest city. NorCalStockMedia/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.39%

19. Fort Smith, Arkansas

Fort Smith, Arkansas - November 12th, 2023: Aerial view of Judge Parker's Courthouse and the Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith is a western Arkansas city with deep frontier history. Jonathan C Wear/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.35%

18. Laredo, Texas

Aerial View of the Popular Border Crossing of Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Laredo is a major border city and trade gateway to Mexico. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 19.34%

17. Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville, Alabama skyline at nighttime.
Huntsville, a city in north Alabama, is known for aerospace and engineering. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.81%

16. Rapid City, South Dakota

Aerial View of Rapid City, South Dakota in Summer
Rapid City is a gateway to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.78%

15. Columbia, Maryland

Columbia Town Center - Lake Kittamaqundi
Columbia is a planned community between Baltimore and Washington. Gyro Captain Drone Photos/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.64%

14. Billings, Montana

Aerial of Downtown Billings Montana in the midwestern United States.
Billings is Montana's largest city and a commercial hub for the region. trekandshoot/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.53%

13. Warwick, Rhode Island

Pawtuxet Cove Marina aerial view in the village in fall between city of Cranston and Warwick, Rhode Island RI, USA. Here is Pawtuxet River mouth to Providence River.
Warwick is a coastal city near Providence and T.F. Green Airport. Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.44%

12. Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln, Nebraska, USA downtown city skyline at dawn.
Lincoln is Nebraska's capital and home to the University of Nebraska. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.13%

11. Wichita, Kansas

Aerial View of the Population Center of Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is Kansas' largest city. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 18.11%

10. Overland Park, Kansas

Aerial View of Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City
The large Kansas City suburb is known for family neighborhoods and being one of America's happiest cities. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 17.34%

9. Anchorage, Alaska

Snow town Anchorage, Alaska, the United States of America is one of many people's dream to visit due to its scenery, culture, culinary.
Anchorage is Alaska's largest city and a major transportation hub. TripWalkers/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 17.30%

8. Casper, Wyoming

Aerial View of Downtown Casper, Wyoming at Dusk on Christmas Day
A central Wyoming city, Casper, has roots in the energy industry. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 17.24%

7. Juneau, Alaska

Aerial view of the downtown Juneau, the state capital of Alaska, USA, along the Gastineau Channel in the Arctic - Harris Harbor towered by Alaskan summits next to Douglas Bridge
Framed by mountains and water, Juneau is Alaska's capital. Alexandre.ROSA/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 17.04%

6. Cheyenne, Wyoming

Aerial View of Cheyenne, Wyoming at Dusk during Winter
Wyoming's capital, Cheyenne, is a longtime railroad city. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 17.02%

5. Fargo, North Dakota

Aerial View of Fargo, North Dakota in early Autumn
Fargo is a fast-growing city in North Dakota near the Minnesota border. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 16.94%

4. Charleston, West Virginia

Aerial view of Charleston, West Virginia skyline and South Side Bridge. Charleston is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of West Virginia and the seat of Kanawha County
Charleston is West Virginia's capital, set along the Kanawha River. Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 16.56%

3. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA cityscape on the Cedar River at dusk.
The eastern Iowa city of Cedar Rapids is shaped by manufacturing and food processing. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 16.48%

2. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Aerial View of Sioux Falls, South Dakota at Sunset
Sioux Falls is South Dakota's biggest city. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 16.35%

1. Bismarck, North Dakota

Aerial View of Bismarck, North Dakota during Summer
North Dakota's capital is located on the Missouri River. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Income spent on rent: 15.29%

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kristine villarroel author profile picture
Kristine Villarroel
Kristine Villarroel is a reporter on Business Insider's Editorial Partnerships team.Her reporting often turns data into accessible stories about how money, education, policy, and place shape Americans’ lives. She covers stories on college costs and degree outcomes, state-by-state comparisons, public officials’ salaries, the rising cost of living, travel, food, and real estate.She has previously worked writing about culture, entertainment, music, and tech. Her work has been featured on Teen Vogue and Wired. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. There, she worked as editor of The Independent Florida Alligator. Email Villarroel at kvillarroel@insider.com and follow her on X @ktnedelvalle
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