How Much Rent the Middle Class Can Afford in All 50 States

Amid a national rent-affordability crisis, we aimed to analyze how much middle-class renters on a budget pay their monthly rent per state.

For starters, it helps to define the “middle class.” Per the Pew Research Center: “Those with an annual household income that was two-thirds to double the median income.” So if you live in Florida — where the annual median household income is about $68,000 — making between $45,000 and $136,000 a year lands you in the middle class.

From there, applying the long-time guideline that you should try spending no more than 30% of your monthly income on housing, it’s possible to calculate roughly how much members of the middle class can afford rent.

There are many variables, not the least of which is that only spending 30% of your monthly income on housing is unrealistic for many — especially when low inventory and high interest rates have led to spikes in rental costs. That said, the data listed below for each state should provide a general idea of what’s affordable these days.

The differences between states are pronounced. For example, Mississippi has a median household income of $52,985, and making between $35,323 and $105,970 is good enough to land you in the middle-class category. Middle-class renters in the Magnolia State can generally afford between $883 and $2,649 in monthly payments.

At the other end of the spectrum, the District of Columbia has a median household income of $101,722 and a middle-class range of about $68,000 to $203,000. The affordability range for middle-class renters there is $1,695 to $5,086.

Here’s a state-by-state list that includes median income, the upper and lower limits for what qualifies as middle class, and the upper and lower limits of what these renters can generally manage to pay.

• Median household income: $59,609
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,739
• Highest end of middle-class income: $119,218
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $993.47
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $2,980.45

• Median household income: $86,370
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $57,579
• Highest end of middle-class income: $172,740
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,439.49
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,318.50

• Median household income: $72,581
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $48,387
• Highest end of middle-class income: $145,162
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,209.67
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,629.05

• Median household income: $56,335
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $37,556
• Highest end of middle-class income: $112,670
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $938.91
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $2,816.75

• Median household income: $91,905
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $61,269
• Highest end of middle-class income: $183,810
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,531.73
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,595.25

• Median household income: $87,598
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $58,398
• Highest end of middle-class income: $175,196
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,459.95
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,379.90

• Median household income: $90,213
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $60,141
• Highest end of middle-class income: $180,426
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,503.53
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,510.65

• Median household income: $79,325
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $52,883
• Highest end of middle-class income: $158,650
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,322.07
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,966.25

• Median household income: $101,722
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $67,814
• Highest end of middle-class income: $203,444
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,695.35
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $5,086.10

• Median household income: $67,917
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $45,278
• Highest end of middle-class income: $135,834
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,131.94
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,395.85

• Median household income: $71,355
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $47,570
• Highest end of middle-class income: $142,710
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,189.24
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,567.75

• Median household income: $94,814
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $63,209
• Highest end of middle-class income: $189,628
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,580.22
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,740.70

• Median household income: $70,214
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $46,809
• Highest end of middle-class income: $140,428
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,170.22
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,510.70

• Median household income: $78,433
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $52,288
• Highest end of middle-class income: $156,866
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,307.20
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,921.65

• Median household income: $67,173
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $44,782
• Highest end of middle-class income: $134,346
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,119.54
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,358.65

• Median household income: $70,571
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $47,047
• Highest end of middle-class income: $141,142
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,176.17
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,528.55

• Median household income: $69,747
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $46,498
• Highest end of middle-class income: $139,494
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,162.44
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,487.35

• Median household income: $60,183
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,122
• Highest end of middle-class income: $120,366
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,003.04
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,009.15

• Median household income: $57,852
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $38,568
• Highest end of middle-class income: $115,704
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $964.19
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $2,892.60

• Median household income: $68,251
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $45,500
• Highest end of middle-class income: $136,502
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,137.51
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,412.55

• Median household income: $98,461
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $65,640
• Highest end of middle-class income: $196,922
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,641.00
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,923.05

• Median household income: $96,505
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $64,336
• Highest end of middle-class income: $193,010
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,608.40
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,825.25

• Median household income: $68,505
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $45,670
• Highest end of middle-class income: $137,010
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,141.74
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,425.25

• Median household income: $84,313
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $56,208
• Highest end of middle-class income: $168,626
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,405.20
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,215.65

• Median household income: $52,985
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $35,323
• Highest end of middle-class income: $105,970
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $883.07
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $2,649.25

• Median household income: $65,920
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $43,946
• Highest end of middle-class income: $131,840
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,098.66
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,296.00

Be Aware: ​​

• Median household income: $66,341
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $44,227
• Highest end of middle-class income: $132,682
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,105.67
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,317.05

• Median household income: $71,722
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $47,814
• Highest end of middle-class income: $143,444
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,195.35
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,586.10

• Median household income: $71,646
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $47,764
• Highest end of middle-class income: $143,292
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,194.09
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,582.30

• Median household income: $90,845
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $60,563
• Highest end of middle-class income: $181,690
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,514.07
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,542.25

• Median household income: $97,126
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $64,750
• Highest end of middle-class income: $194,252
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,618.75
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,856.30

• Median household income: $58,722
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,148
• Highest end of middle-class income: $117,444
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $978.69
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $2,936.10

• Median household income: $81,386
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $54,257
• Highest end of middle-class income: $162,772
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,356.42
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,069.30

• Median household income: $66,186
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $44,124
• Highest end of middle-class income: $132,372
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,103.09
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,309.30

• Median household income: $73,959
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $49,306
• Highest end of middle-class income: $147,918
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,232.64
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,697.95

• Median household income: $66,990
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $44,660
• Highest end of middle-class income: $133,980
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,116.49
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,349.50

• Median household income: $61,364
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,909
• Highest end of middle-class income: $122,728
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,022.72
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,068.20

• Median household income: $76,632
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $$51,087
• Highest end of middle-class income: $153,264
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,277.19
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,831.60

• Median household income: $73,170
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $48,780
• Highest end of middle-class income: $146,340
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,219.49
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,658.50

• Median household income: $$81,370
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $54,246
• Highest end of middle-class income: $162,740
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,356.15
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,068.50

• Median household income: $63,623
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $42,415
• Highest end of middle-class income: $127,246
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,060.37
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,181.15

• Median household income: $69,457
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $46,304
• Highest end of middle-class income: $138,914
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,157.61
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,472.85

• Median household income: $64,035
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $42,690
• Highest end of middle-class income: $128,070
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,067.24
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,201.75

• Median household income: $73,035
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $48,690
• Highest end of middle-class income: $146,070
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,217.24
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,651.75

• Median household income: $86,833
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $57,888
• Highest end of middle-class income: $173,666
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,447.20
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,341.65

• Median household income: $74,014
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $49,342
• Highest end of middle-class income: $148,028
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,233.55
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,700.70

• Median household income: $87,249
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $58,165
• Highest end of middle-class income: $174,498
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,454.14
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,362.45

• Median household income: $90,325
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $60,216
• Highest end of middle-class income: $180,650
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,505.40
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $4,516.25

• Median household income: $55,217
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,811
• Highest end of middle-class income: $110,434
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $920.27
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $2,760.85

• Median household income: $72,458
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $48,305
• Highest end of middle-class income: $144,916
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,207.62
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,622.90

• Median household income: $72,495
• Lowest end of middle-class income: $48,330
• Highest end of middle-class income: $144,990
• Lowest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $1,208.24
• Highest end of rent affordability for the middle class: $3,624.75

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates used the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey to find every state’s median household income. From there, GOBankingRates was able to determine each state’s middle-class income range by following the definition laid out by the Pew Research Center: “… those with an annual household income that was two-thirds to double the median income” With the middle-class income calculated, GOBankingRates was then able to find the range of affordable rent for the middle-class in each state, following the guideline that no more than 30% of gross income (pre-tax) should be spent on housing. All data is up to date as of June 17, 2024.