Updated November 2026. Rent figures reflect October 2026 estimates from Apartment List's November 2026 Rent Estimates release.
If your household earns $60,000 a year before taxes, $1,500 a month is 30% of that income. Apartment List's October 2026 rent estimates show that $1,500 covered the median one-bedroom in 36 of the 50 largest U.S. cities, before utilities. Across those cities, the annual household income that put a median one-bedroom at 30% of gross income ranged from $31,120 in Detroit to $155,160 in San Francisco.
Find your city below and start with the apartment size you'd actually rent. If the one-bedroom median is above your budget, compare it with what you'd each pay splitting a two-bedroom, or look for listings below the city median. Leave room for utilities you pay separately, and ask the property how it screens income before paying an application fee.
The 50 cities are the most populous in the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates, measured within city limits rather than metro areas. Cities with the same one-bedroom median are listed alphabetically (Columbus and Mesa; Dallas and Raleigh). The two-bedroom columns show the full apartment rent and its household income equivalent; per-renter split figures appear only in the example and FAQs. Each city name links to current apartment listings in that city on Apartment List.
Start with the group closest to your annual household income before taxes. The cities are ordered by median one-bedroom rent, from lowest to highest. Each table shows monthly rent and the annual household income at the 30% rent-only benchmark for both one- and two-bedroom apartments.
| 1BR rent rank | City | 1BR median monthly rent | 1BR annual gross household income at 30% | 2BR median monthly rent | 2BR annual gross household income at 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit, MI | $778 | $31,120 | $1,042 | $41,680 |
| 2 | Tucson, AZ | $869 | $34,760 | $1,115 | $44,600 |
| 3 | Memphis, TN | $888 | $35,520 | $1,006 | $40,240 |
| 4 | Tulsa, OK | $902 | $36,080 | $1,123 | $44,920 |
| 5 | Oklahoma City, OK | $916 | $36,640 | $1,135 | $45,400 |
| 6 | El Paso, TX | $942 | $37,680 | $1,127 | $45,080 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $953 | $38,120 | $1,173 | $46,920 |
| 8 | Louisville, KY | $975 | $39,000 | $1,226 | $49,040 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $994 | $39,760 | $1,186 | $47,440 |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $998 | $39,920 | $1,277 | $51,080 |
Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates, October 2026 data, published in the November 2026 release. Income figures show annual gross household income at the 30% rent-only benchmark.
| 1BR rent rank | City | 1BR median monthly rent | 1BR annual gross household income at 30% | 2BR median monthly rent | 2BR annual gross household income at 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $1,043 | $41,720 | $1,266 | $50,640 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $1,067 | $42,680 | $1,264 | $50,560 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $1,071 | $42,840 | $1,277 | $51,080 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $1,073 | $42,920 | $1,311 | $52,440 |
| 15 | Fresno, CA | $1,105 | $44,200 | $1,364 | $54,560 |
| 16 | Jacksonville, FL | $1,108 | $44,320 | $1,304 | $52,160 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $1,116 | $44,640 | $1,323 | $52,920 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $1,117 | $44,680 | $1,338 | $53,520 |
| 19 | Mesa, AZ | $1,117 | $44,680 | $1,257 | $50,280 |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $1,131 | $45,240 | $1,324 | $52,960 |
Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates, October 2026 data, published in the November 2026 release. Income figures show annual gross household income at the 30% rent-only benchmark.
| 1BR rent rank | City | 1BR median monthly rent | 1BR annual gross household income at 30% | 2BR median monthly rent | 2BR annual gross household income at 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Fort Worth, TX | $1,141 | $45,640 | $1,317 | $52,680 |
| 22 | Austin, TX | $1,172 | $46,880 | $1,426 | $57,040 |
| 23 | Kansas City, MO | $1,178 | $47,120 | $1,390 | $55,600 |
| 24 | Dallas, TX | $1,207 | $48,280 | $1,428 | $57,120 |
| 25 | Raleigh, NC | $1,207 | $48,280 | $1,376 | $55,040 |
| 26 | Nashville, TN | $1,219 | $48,760 | $1,356 | $54,240 |
| 27 | Aurora, CO | $1,238 | $49,520 | $1,566 | $62,640 |
| 28 | Bakersfield, CA | $1,242 | $49,680 | $1,561 | $62,440 |
| 29 | Charlotte, NC | $1,254 | $50,160 | $1,367 | $54,680 |
| 30 | Baltimore, MD | $1,268 | $50,720 | $1,587 | $63,480 |
Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates, October 2026 data, published in the November 2026 release. Income figures show annual gross household income at the 30% rent-only benchmark.
| 1BR rent rank | City | 1BR median monthly rent | 1BR annual gross household income at 30% | 2BR median monthly rent | 2BR annual gross household income at 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Tampa, FL | $1,284 | $51,360 | $1,603 | $64,120 |
| 32 | Philadelphia, PA | $1,302 | $52,080 | $1,505 | $60,200 |
| 33 | Minneapolis, MN | $1,313 | $52,520 | $1,699 | $67,960 |
| 34 | Sacramento, CA | $1,367 | $54,680 | $1,727 | $69,080 |
| 35 | Portland, OR | $1,409 | $56,360 | $1,671 | $66,840 |
| 36 | Denver, CO | $1,414 | $56,560 | $1,761 | $70,440 |
| 37 | Atlanta, GA | $1,539 | $61,560 | $1,540 | $61,600 |
| 38 | Miami, FL | $1,599 | $63,960 | $2,118 | $84,720 |
| 39 | Long Beach, CA | $1,606 | $64,240 | $1,967 | $78,680 |
| 40 | Virginia Beach, VA | $1,615 | $64,600 | $1,826 | $73,040 |
Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates, October 2026 data, published in the November 2026 release. Income figures show annual gross household income at the 30% rent-only benchmark.
| 1BR rent rank | City | 1BR median monthly rent | 1BR annual gross household income at 30% | 2BR median monthly rent | 2BR annual gross household income at 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Chicago, IL | $1,723 | $68,920 | $1,875 | $75,000 |
| 42 | Los Angeles, CA | $1,864 | $74,560 | $2,377 | $95,080 |
| 43 | Seattle, WA | $1,935 | $77,400 | $2,415 | $96,600 |
| 44 | San Diego, CA | $1,972 | $78,880 | $2,472 | $98,880 |
| 45 | Washington, DC | $2,144 | $85,760 | $2,201 | $88,040 |
| 46 | Oakland, CA | $2,167 | $86,680 | $2,602 | $104,080 |
| 47 | Boston, MA | $2,359 | $94,360 | $2,484 | $99,360 |
| 48 | New York City, NY | $2,475 | $99,000 | $2,609 | $104,360 |
| 49 | San Jose, CA | $2,738 | $109,520 | $3,248 | $129,920 |
| 50 | San Francisco, CA | $3,879 | $155,160 | $4,597 | $183,880 |
Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates, October 2026 data, published in the November 2026 release. Income figures show annual gross household income at the 30% rent-only benchmark.
Apartment List's October 2026 median was $2,475 a month for a one-bedroom in New York City. Two renters splitting the $2,609 median two-bedroom evenly would each pay $1,304.50, before utilities. At the 30% rent-only benchmark, that is $99,000 in annual gross income for a solo renter versus $52,180 per renter sharing. The same held in all 50 cities in October 2026: an even split of the median two-bedroom cost each renter less than the median one-bedroom. For electricity, groceries, and other costs beyond rent, see Apartment List's New York City cost-of-living guide.
Use the table to see how your budget compares with the median in the city you want to live in. Then click your city to browse apartments on Apartment List. Set your rent ceiling after leaving room for utilities and required fees, and check what's available at that price.
If you're open to a roommate, run a second search for two-bedrooms using what you can afford together. If you'll split rent evenly, set the total ceiling at twice what each of you can comfortably pay. Compare the apartments you'd actually tour in both searches, and ask the property how it counts each renter's income before paying an application fee.
| What we used | How it works | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 50 largest U.S. cities | We selected cities by population and used city boundaries. | U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates |
| Median one- and two-bedroom rents | We used Apartment List's October 2026 estimates for new leases, published in the November release. To reproduce the figures, select the City rows, the 1BR and 2BR series, and the 2026_10 column. | Apartment List Rent Estimates |
| Annual household income before taxes | Multiply monthly rent by 40 to find the income at which rent takes up 30% of gross pay. For an equal two-bedroom split, halve the rent first. These figures exclude separately paid utilities. | HUD's housing affordability guideline |
A $2,000 monthly rent takes up 30% of your income at $80,000 a year before taxes, before separately paid utilities. That 30% figure is a budgeting benchmark. If the property uses a 3× rent screen, a property screening rule, it would look for $6,000 a month before taxes, or $72,000 a year. Ask which screening criteria the property uses before you apply.
Yes, if you find a listing within your budget and meet the property's screening criteria. The table uses Apartment List's October 2026 estimated median for each apartment size, so use your own rent ceiling to check what's available today.
It depends on the property. Some combine applicants' incomes, while others evaluate each renter separately. Before paying an application fee, ask whether the property combines your incomes and which rent amount it uses for the calculation.
Set your rent ceiling using what you can reliably earn in a typical month. For the application, ask how many months of income the property reviews and what it accepts in place of pay stubs. Apartment List's proof-of-income guide lists the document options.
In unit laundry, Granite counters, Hardwood floors, Dishwasher, Pet friendly, 24hr maintenance + more
In unit laundry, Patio / balcony, Hardwood floors, Dishwasher, 24hr maintenance, Garage + more
