Tool · Affordability

Rent Affordability by Salary

Enter your annual income and select a state to see how much rent you can afford and how it compares to actual HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026) across all 50 states.

30%
HUD affordability rule
51
States covered
FY2026
HUD FMR data year

See how much rent you can afford and how it compares to actual HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026). See our methodology.

Quick income

How the math works

Affordable rent is just 30% of your gross income. To rent the typical US 1-bedroom at its $959 Fair Market Rent without crossing the 30% line, a household needs about $38,360 a year. Enter your own income and state above to see exactly where you stand across every unit size.

30%
of gross income = your rent ceiling
$959
US average 1-bedroom FMR
$38,360
income to afford it at 30%

HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026. Estimates, not a quote for a specific unit.

The national rent benchmark, FY2026

Average HUD Fair Market Rent by unit size, what a modest US rental costs before you enter your own numbers

US avg FMR / mo

What this shows Enter an income above to see how your 30%-rule budget compares to these benchmarks in your state.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents As of FY2026

How 1-bedroom rents vary across the country

Every US county's 1-bedroom FMR, the national average is marked

$959 Top 34% higher than 66% of 3,145 counties

$400–$600: 7 counties (0%). Below this entry. $600–$800: 1,297 counties (41%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 912 counties (29%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 413 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 179 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 162 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 92 counties (3%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 23 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 31 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 8 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 6 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 10 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. US average $400 $3,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

The cheapest counties run under $600/mo for a 1-bedroom while the priciest exceed $3,000, which is why your affordable budget stretches much further in some places than others.

What common incomes can afford

At the 30% rule, your affordable monthly rent is 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Bars are scaled against the highest income shown.

$40,000/yr
$1,000/mo
$60,000/yr
$1,500/mo
$80,000/yr
$2,000/mo
$100,000/yr
$2,500/mo
$150,000/yr
$3,750/mo
Try also: Salary Affordability Calculator → - pick your job title and see which counties you can afford.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 30% rule for rent affordability?

The 30% rule is a widely used guideline from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It states that households should spend no more than 30% of their gross (pre-tax) monthly income on rent. Spending 30-50% is considered cost-stretched, and above 50% is severely cost-burdened.

What are HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)?

Fair Market Rents are estimates set by HUD each fiscal year representing the cost to rent a moderately-priced unit in a specific area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for housing assistance programs. This calculator uses FY2026 FMR data.

How is the affordable monthly rent calculated?

Affordable monthly rent is calculated as: Annual Gross Income x 30% / 12 months. For example, on a $60,000 salary, the affordable monthly rent would be $60,000 x 0.30 / 12 = $1,500/month.

Methodology

This calculator uses the HUD 30% affordability rule: households should spend no more than 30% of gross income on rent. Spending 30-50% is considered "stretched" (cost-burdened), and above 50% is "severely cost-burdened."

Rent data is from HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026), representing state-level averages. Individual county and metro rents may be higher or lower. Visit the state profiles for county-level detail, or our methodology for how the data is sourced and computed.

This estimate is informational and not financial advice. Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark, not a quote for a specific unit; confirm current figures with HUD before making budgeting or leasing decisions.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FY2026 Fair Market Rents. See our editorial & corrections policy.