Home/Rankings/Best rent-to-income

Cities with best rent-to-income ratio

Where your dollar goes furthest. Ranked by lowest rent as a percentage of median household income. Cities with 15,000+ residents.

Key findings

Urbandale, IA ranks first, with rent at 11.0% of median household income.
Across all 2,223 cities on this list, the median rent is $1,820/mo.
Buda, TX moved from #40 to #25 compared with a year ago.

Data as of September 2026. Twelve months of median rent as a share of Census median household income (5-year estimates). Updated monthly. Download this list (CSV)

Best value (RRS)Overheated (RRS)Most affordable Most expensive Rent falling Rent rising Best rent/income Most rent-burdened Record-high rent Seasonal swings Rent vs. income

2,223 cities

Rank	City	Rent/income	Median rent	Income	Vs. a year ago
01	UrbandaleIA Pop. 47KCompare →	11.0%	$1,038/mo	$112,795	same
02	WashingtonIL Pop. 16KCompare →	12.5%	$988/mo	$95,179	--
03	MadisonAL Pop. 60KCompare →	12.6%	$1,411/mo	$134,655	same
04	BrentwoodTN Pop. 46KCompare →	12.9%	$1,960/mo	$182,088	↑2 from #6
05	DublinOH Pop. 49KCompare →	13.0%	$1,732/mo	$160,296	↓1 from #4
06	ProsperTX Pop. 38KCompare →	13.0%	$2,112/mo	$195,281	↑1 from #7
07	Pecan GroveTX Pop. 24KCompare →	13.1%	$1,440/mo	$131,937	↑4 from #11
08	ZionsvilleIN Pop. 32KCompare →	13.1%	$1,879/mo	$172,024	↓6 from #2
09	McLeanVA Pop. 50KCompare →	13.1%	$2,732/mo	$250,001	↓4 from #5
10	LeawoodKS Pop. 34KCompare →	13.4%	$2,076/mo	$185,625	↑3 from #13
11	BellaireTX Pop. 17KCompare →	13.5%	$2,749/mo	$244,015	--
12	FulshearTX Pop. 35KCompare →	13.6%	$2,115/mo	$187,035	same
13	Creve CoeurMO Pop. 19KCompare →	13.7%	$1,456/mo	$127,188	↓5 from #8
14	KellerTX Pop. 46KCompare →	13.9%	$2,032/mo	$174,950	↓5 from #9
15	GrimesIA Pop. 16KCompare →	14.0%	$1,396/mo	$120,037	↓5 from #10
16	CelinaTX Pop. 34KCompare →	14.1%	$2,009/mo	$170,894	↓1 from #15
17	Ponca CityOK Pop. 24KCompare →	14.3%	$665/mo	$55,941	↓3 from #14
18	Fort WashingtonMD Pop. 25KCompare →	14.4%	$1,722/mo	$143,333	↑6 from #24
19	HooverAL Pop. 93KCompare →	14.5%	$1,319/mo	$109,253	↓2 from #17
20	BellevueWI Pop. 16KCompare →	14.5%	$1,026/mo	$84,672	--
21	Cinco RanchTX Pop. 19KCompare →	14.6%	$1,969/mo	$161,972	↓5 from #16
22	FriscoTX Pop. 219KCompare →	14.7%	$1,840/mo	$150,212	↑5 from #27
23	HilliardOH Pop. 38KCompare →	14.7%	$1,573/mo	$128,189	↓1 from #22
24	East PeoriaIL Pop. 22KCompare →	14.8%	$885/mo	$71,833	--
25	BudaTX Pop. 16KCompare →	15.1%	$1,554/mo	$123,766	↑15 from #40
26	DecaturGA Pop. 25KCompare →	15.1%	$1,755/mo	$139,397	↑3 from #29
27	ChesterfieldMO Pop. 50KCompare →	15.2%	$1,680/mo	$133,037	↓9 from #18
28	DavidsonNC Pop. 16KCompare →	15.2%	$2,107/mo	$166,556	↑5 from #33
29	Upper ArlingtonOH Pop. 36KCompare →	15.2%	$1,965/mo	$155,167	↑2 from #31
30	JohnstonIA Pop. 24KCompare →	15.3%	$1,356/mo	$106,551	↑2 from #32
31	Mercer IslandWA Pop. 25KCompare →	15.3%	$2,796/mo	$219,069	↓10 from #21
32	WestfieldNJ Pop. 31KCompare →	15.3%	$2,973/mo	$232,629	↓2 from #30
33	MelissaTX Pop. 20KCompare →	15.4%	$1,784/mo	$138,763	↑6 from #39
34	SachseTX Pop. 30KCompare →	15.5%	$1,699/mo	$131,808	↑1 from #35
35	CaryNC Pop. 179KCompare →	15.7%	$1,768/mo	$134,905	↑3 from #38
36	West FargoND Pop. 40KCompare →	15.7%	$1,189/mo	$90,665	↓11 from #25
37	Cedar ParkTX Pop. 78KCompare →	15.8%	$1,702/mo	$129,545	↓3 from #34
38	FarmingtonUT Pop. 25KCompare →	15.8%	$1,675/mo	$127,338	↓10 from #28
39	MorrisvilleNC Pop. 31KCompare →	15.8%	$1,650/mo	$125,396	↓2 from #37
40	CarmelIN Pop. 102KCompare →	15.8%	$1,864/mo	$141,505	↓21 from #19
41	DraperUT Pop. 50KCompare →	15.8%	$1,700/mo	$128,910	↓5 from #36
42	AllenTX Pop. 110KCompare →	15.9%	$1,734/mo	$130,901	↑1 from #43
43	Fort DodgeIA Pop. 25KCompare →	15.9%	$804/mo	$60,649	↓20 from #23
44	RoswellGA Pop. 93KCompare →	15.9%	$1,706/mo	$128,654	↑1 from #45
45	Fort ThomasKY Pop. 17KCompare →	15.9%	$1,386/mo	$104,350	↓19 from #26
46	LibertyvilleIL Pop. 21KCompare →	16.0%	$2,206/mo	$165,667	↑13 from #59
47	OwatonnaMN Pop. 26KCompare →	16.1%	$1,081/mo	$80,750	--
48	ApexNC Pop. 71KCompare →	16.2%	$1,947/mo	$144,135	↑7 from #55
49	CentertonAR Pop. 22KCompare →	16.2%	$1,565/mo	$115,713	↑9 from #58
50	MaumelleAR Pop. 19KCompare →	16.2%	$1,398/mo	$103,333	↑14 from #64