Rent guides
Straight-talking, data-driven guides to renting across California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Arizona, and Nevada, built from the real listings we track every day, not generic estimates. Filter by state or topic below.
What Salary You Need to Afford Rent in Every State
The income you need to rent in each US state under the 30% rule, from real median rents, plus the hourly wage it works out to.
Read the guide →What $1,500 a Month Rents Across America
How far $1,500/mo stretches in each state: the share of apartments it can actually afford, from real listings.
Read the guide →Studio vs 1-Bedroom Rent, by State
The real rent gap between a studio and a one-bed in each state. In most, a one-bed costs the same or less, here’s where.
Read the guide →Is a Roommate Worth It? 2-Bed Split vs Renting Solo
How much you save splitting a two-bed with a roommate vs renting a one-bed alone, per state. Nationally ~$585/mo each.
Read the guide →How Much Each Extra Bedroom Costs, by State
The real rent ladder studio→3-bed in each state, and the quirk where a studio costs more than a one-bed.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in California
Every California city ranked by entry-level and median rent, straight from live listings, no estimates.
Read the guide →The Cheapest 1-Bedroom Apartments in California
Where one-beds cost the least right now: cities ranked by entry price and median 1-bed rent, plus how to land one.
Read the guide →Average Rent in California by City
What renters actually pay: median rent in every city we track, broken down by bedroom, studio through three-bed.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Studio Apartments in California
Where studios cost the least right now: cities ranked by entry and median studio rent, plus when a studio beats a one-bed.
Read the guide →Cheapest Rentals Near California College Campuses
The cheapest apartments within walking distance of UC, CSU and Cal Poly campuses, college towns ranked by entry and median rent.
Read the guide →What Salary You Need to Afford Rent in California
The income you need to rent in each California city under the 30% rule, from real median rents, plus the hourly wage it works out to.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Places to Rent in Metro Phoenix
Phoenix-metro cities ranked by typical rent, from value spots like Glendale and Mesa to pricey Scottsdale.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Texas
Every Texas city ranked by entry-level and median rent, from value markets like Corpus Christi and San Antonio to the pricier Dallas suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Texas by City
What renters actually pay in Texas: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Plus why a studio there can cost more than a one-bed.
Read the guide →Houston vs Dallas vs Austin vs San Antonio: Rent Compared
Texas's four biggest metros side by side, by bedroom. San Antonio is cheapest overall, Austin has the cheapest one-beds, and family units flip the ranking.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Florida
Every Florida city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Ocala, Gainesville and Jacksonville to the pricey South Florida coast.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Florida by City
What renters actually pay in Florida: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from real listings, not estimates.
Read the guide →Miami vs Orlando vs Tampa vs Jacksonville: Rent Compared
Florida's four biggest metros side by side, by bedroom. Jacksonville is the cheapest, Tampa and Orlando run close in the middle, and Miami costs far more.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Georgia
Every Georgia city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Macon and the inner Atlanta suburbs to pricier Savannah and the north-side suburbs.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Places to Rent in Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta cities and suburbs ranked by typical rent, from value spots like East Point and College Park to the pricey north-side suburbs.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in North Carolina
Every North Carolina city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Greenville and the Triad to the pricier mountains and coast.
Read the guide →Average Rent in North Carolina by City
What renters actually pay in North Carolina: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Plus why a studio there can cost more than a one-bed.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Tennessee
Every Tennessee city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Memphis and Clarksville to pricey Nashville and its affluent suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Tennessee by City
What renters actually pay in Tennessee: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Memphis is the value play, and a studio there can cost more than a one-bed.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in South Carolina
Every South Carolina city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets in the Midlands and Upstate (Columbia, Spartanburg) to the pricey Charleston Lowcountry and the coast.
Read the guide →Average Rent in South Carolina by City
What renters actually pay in South Carolina: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. The Midlands and Upstate are the value, Charleston and Hilton Head the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Ohio
Every Ohio city ranked by entry and median rent, from deep-value markets like Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown to the growing Columbus metro and its pricier suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Ohio by City
What renters actually pay in Ohio: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. One of the most affordable big states, with the old industrial cities cheapest of all.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Pennsylvania
Every Pennsylvania city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Erie, Scranton and Reading to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the pricey Main Line suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Pennsylvania by City
What renters actually pay in Pennsylvania: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Pittsburgh is the value among the big metros, the Main Line the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Virginia
Every Virginia city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Roanoke, Lynchburg and Danville to the pricey Northern Virginia / DC suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Virginia by City
What renters actually pay in Virginia: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Richmond and Hampton Roads are the value, Northern Virginia the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Indiana
Every Indiana city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Fort Wayne, Evansville and Terre Haute to the pricey Indianapolis north suburbs (Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville).
Read the guide →Average Rent in Indiana by City
What renters actually pay in Indiana: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. One of the more affordable states, with the mid-size industrial cities cheapest.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Missouri
Every Missouri city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Springfield, Joplin and St. Joseph to the pricey St. Louis suburbs (Clayton, Chesterfield).
Read the guide →Average Rent in Missouri by City
What renters actually pay in Missouri: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Kansas City and St. Louis are affordable for big metros; the mid-size cities cheaper still.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Maryland
Every Maryland city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Hagerstown, Cumberland and Salisbury (plus surprisingly affordable Baltimore) to the pricey DC suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Maryland by City
What renters actually pay in Maryland: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Baltimore and western Maryland are the value, the Montgomery County DC suburbs the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Alabama
Every Alabama city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Montgomery, Mobile and Birmingham to pricier Huntsville, Auburn and the Gulf Coast.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Alabama by City
What renters actually pay in Alabama: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. One of the most affordable states, with Montgomery and Mobile cheapest of all.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Colorado
Every Colorado city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Pueblo, Grand Junction and Greeley to pricey Denver, Boulder and the mountain resort towns.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Colorado by City
What renters actually pay in Colorado: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. The Front Range and resort towns run high; Pueblo, Grand Junction and Greeley are the value.
Read the guide →Where Rent Goes Furthest in the US
How rent stacks up across every state we cover, by bedroom. A California one-bed costs nearly double the same place in Texas or the Carolinas.
Read the guide →What $1,500 a Month in Rent Gets You Across the US
Same budget, every state we cover: how much apartment $1,500/mo actually buys in California versus Texas, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Arizona and Nevada, by living space and by how many options you get.
Read the guide →Studio vs 1-Bedroom: Where the Price Gap Flips
A studio is supposed to be the cheap option, but in Texas and Georgia a 1-bedroom actually costs less. Where you can size up for free, and where a studio is the real bargain.
Read the guide →Most Apartment for Your Money: Best Square-Footage Value
Cheapest rent is not the same as best value. US cities ranked by price per square foot, where your money buys the most actual living space.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Washington
Every Washington city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Spokane, Yakima and the Tri-Cities to pricey Seattle and the Eastside.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Washington by City
What renters actually pay in Washington: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Eastern Washington and Tacoma are the value, Seattle and the Eastside the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Oregon
Every Oregon city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets in the Willamette Valley and southern Oregon to pricey Portland and Bend.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Oregon by City
What renters actually pay in Oregon: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Salem, Eugene and southern Oregon are the value, Portland and Bend the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Massachusetts
Every Massachusetts city ranked by entry and median rent, from value markets like Worcester, Springfield and the southeast coast to pricey Greater Boston.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Massachusetts by City
What renters actually pay in Massachusetts: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Worcester, Springfield and the southeast coast are the value, Greater Boston the splurge.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in New York
Every New York city ranked by entry and median rent, from deep-value upstate markets like Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester and Albany to pricey NYC and its downstate suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in New York by City
What renters actually pay in New York: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. The widest range of any state, upstate is the value and NYC the splurge.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in New York City
NYC borough by borough, cheapest first, plus the Metro-North and LIRR commuter towns where the same budget goes further, and five concrete ways to pay less for NYC rent.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in New Jersey
Every New Jersey city ranked by entry and median rent, from the affordable Philadelphia side and inner suburbs to the pricey Hudson waterfront across from Manhattan.
Read the guide →Average Rent in New Jersey by City
What renters actually pay in New Jersey: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. The Hudson waterfront is the splurge, South Jersey and the inner suburbs the value.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in New Jersey
New Jersey region by region, cheapest first, plus the NJ Transit and PATH commuter towns where the same budget goes further than the Hudson waterfront, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Illinois
Every Illinois city ranked by entry and median rent, from deep-value downstate markets like DeKalb, Rockford, Peoria and Springfield to pricey Chicago and its North Shore and collar suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Illinois by City
What renters actually pay in Illinois: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Downstate and the college towns are the value, Chicago and the North Shore the splurge.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Illinois
Illinois region by region, cheapest first, plus the Metra commuter towns and downstate college towns where the same budget goes much further than Chicago, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Michigan
Every Michigan city ranked by entry and median rent, from the deep-value industrial cities and college towns like Saginaw, Flint and East Lansing to the pricier Oakland County suburbs and Ann Arbor.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Michigan by City
What renters actually pay in Michigan, one of the most affordable states in the country: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Michigan
Michigan region by region, cheapest first, plus the value picks next to pricey Ann Arbor and the Oakland County suburbs, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Minnesota
Every Minnesota city ranked by entry and median rent, from the value outer-ring Twin Cities suburbs and outstate cities to the pricier west-metro suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Minnesota by City
What renters actually pay in Minnesota, an affordable Midwest market: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Minnesota
Minnesota region by region, cheapest first, plus the outer-ring Twin Cities suburbs and outstate cities where your budget goes furthest, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Wisconsin
Every Wisconsin city ranked by entry and median rent, from value Fox Valley and outstate cities like Stevens Point, La Crosse and Appleton to the pricier western Milwaukee suburbs.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Wisconsin by City
What renters actually pay in Wisconsin, an affordable Midwest market: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Wisconsin
Wisconsin region by region, cheapest first, plus the Fox Valley and outstate cities where your budget goes furthest and the city-over-suburb play in metro Milwaukee, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Connecticut
Every Connecticut city ranked by entry and median rent, from the value Hartford area and eastern Connecticut to the pricey Fairfield County commuter towns near New York.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Connecticut by City
What renters actually pay in Connecticut: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom. Fairfield County is the New York-commuter splurge, the Hartford area the value.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Connecticut
Connecticut region by region, cheapest first, plus the value markets up the line from pricey Fairfield County, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Oklahoma
Every Oklahoma city ranked by entry and median rent, from the college towns and value suburbs to the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metros, one of the most affordable states in the country.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Oklahoma by City
What renters actually pay in Oklahoma, one of the cheapest states in the country: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Oklahoma
Oklahoma region by region, cheapest first, plus the college towns and value picks around Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Kentucky
Every Kentucky city ranked by entry and median rent, from the college towns and value markets to the Louisville and Lexington metros and the Cincinnati suburbs of Northern Kentucky.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Kentucky by City
What renters actually pay in Kentucky: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings. Louisville, Lexington and beyond.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Kentucky
Kentucky region by region, cheapest first, plus the college towns and value markets around Louisville and Lexington, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Louisiana
Every Louisiana city ranked by entry and median rent, from the Acadiana value markets and New Orleans suburbs to the Baton Rouge and New Orleans metros.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Louisiana by City
What renters actually pay in Louisiana: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings. New Orleans, Baton Rouge and beyond.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Louisiana
Louisiana region by region, cheapest first, plus the Acadiana value markets and New Orleans suburbs around the Baton Rouge and New Orleans metros, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Utah
Every Utah city ranked by entry and median rent, from the working-class Salt Lake suburbs and college towns to the pricey south-valley and Silicon Slopes markets.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Utah by City
What renters actually pay in Utah: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings. Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden and the Wasatch Front.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Utah
Utah region by region, cheapest first, plus the working-class Salt Lake suburbs and college towns of the Wasatch Front, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Rhode Island
Every Rhode Island city we track ranked by entry and median rent, from the Providence-metro suburbs to the capital itself.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Rhode Island by City
What renters actually pay in Rhode Island: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings. Providence and the metro suburbs.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Rhode Island
Rhode Island ranked cheapest first, plus the Providence-metro suburbs where your budget goes furthest in a pricey New England state, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Iowa
Every Iowa city ranked by entry and median rent, from the Quad Cities and college towns to the Des Moines metro and its suburbs, one of the more affordable states in the country.
Read the guide →Average Rent in Iowa by City
What renters actually pay in Iowa, one of the more affordable states: median rent in every city we track, by bedroom, from live listings. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and beyond.
Read the guide →How to Find the Cheapest Place to Rent in Iowa
Iowa region by region, cheapest first, plus the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids and college towns around the Des Moines metro, and five concrete ways to pay less.
Read the guide →