US rent guide
What $1,500 a Month Rents Across America (July 2026)
Data as of Jun 9, 2026 · 27,862 rentals across 33 states
$1,500 a month is right around the typical US rent ($1,445), but that “typical” hides a wild gap. In some states the same $1,500 covers almost the entire market; in others it barely cracks the door. So we took every standard apartment we track and measured, state by state, exactly what share of them you could actually afford on $1,500.
Typical US rent
$1,445/mo
Affordable on $1,500 (US)
55%
Best vs worst state
96% vs 5%
The contrast is stark. In Oklahoma roughly 96% of apartments rent for $1,500 or less, so the budget is plenty. In Massachusetts it’s about 5%, meaning $1,500 is below the entry price for most of the market. Same money, completely different reach.
Where $1,500 goes furthest, by state
The share of standard apartments renting at or below $1,500/mo in each state, most affordable first. Rooms and senior housing are excluded; states need at least twenty live listings to appear. Tap a state for its listings.
| # | State | Median rent | Affordable on $1,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | $999 | 96% |
| 2 | Iowa | $1,050 | 91% |
| 3 | Indiana | $1,130 | 89% |
| 4 | Kentucky | $1,150 | 89% |
| 5 | Missouri | $1,128 | 86% |
| 6 | Alabama | $1,099 | 86% |
| 7 | Texas | $1,138 | 85% |
| 8 | North Carolina | $1,270 | 83% |
| 9 | Ohio | $1,195 | 81% |
| 10 | Louisiana | $1,172 | 81% |
| 11 | Arizona | $1,299 | 76% |
| 12 | Tennessee | $1,300 | 75% |
| 13 | Georgia | $1,329 | 74% |
| 14 | Utah | $1,339 | 74% |
| 15 | Michigan | $1,265 | 71% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $1,310 | 70% |
| 17 | Nevada | $1,331 | 69% |
| 18 | Minnesota | $1,385 | 67% |
| 19 | South Carolina | $1,395 | 63% |
| 20 | Oregon | $1,449 | 62% |
| 21 | Colorado | $1,432 | 59% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $1,512 | 50% |
| 23 | Florida | $1,556 | 45% |
| 24 | Virginia | $1,598 | 42% |
| 25 | Maryland | $1,621 | 40% |
| 26 | New York | $1,942 | 31% |
| 27 | Washington | $1,689 | 31% |
| 28 | Illinois | $1,805 | 30% |
| 29 | Connecticut | $1,920 | 20% |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $1,900 | 13% |
| 31 | New Jersey | $2,178 | 12% |
| 32 | California | $2,249 | 10% |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $2,669 | 5% |
How we calculated it
For each state we took every standard apartment we currently track (rooms and senior housing excluded) and counted the share priced at $1,500/mo or below, that’s the “affordable on $1,500” figure. “Median rent” is the state’s midpoint rent for context. It’s a live snapshot of real listings, not a modeled estimate, and the percentages shift as inventory and prices move (last updated Jun 9, 2026). To stretch any budget further, our listings sort cheapest-first in every city.
Frequently asked questions
Is $1,500 a month enough for an apartment?
It depends entirely on the state. Across everything we track, about 55% of standard apartments rent for $1,500/mo or less (the typical US rent is $1,445). In Oklahoma that budget covers roughly 96% of apartments; in Massachusetts only about 5%.
What states can you rent an apartment in for under $1,500?
Plenty. The budget goes furthest in lower-cost states like Oklahoma, Iowa, Indiana, where the large majority of apartments fall at or below $1,500/mo. The full state-by-state share is in the table above.
What can you get for $1,500 a month in rent?
In lower-cost states, $1,500 comfortably covers a one-bedroom and often a two-bedroom; in the most expensive states it may only reach a studio, if that. The state ranking above shows where the budget is plenty versus where it barely registers.
How did you calculate this?
For each state we counted what share of the standard apartments we currently track rent for $1,500/mo or less (rooms and senior housing excluded; states with at least twenty listings included). It is a live snapshot of real listings, last updated Jun 9, 2026, not a survey estimate.
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