Where rent eats the most of a typical paycheck
Each metro's all-occupations median wage, converted to take-home pay, against a one-bedroom at HUD Fair Market Rent.
Detroit is the easiest big metro on this list for a median earner: rent takes 32% of take-home pay. New York is the hardest at 64%. In 19 of 21 metros, the typical worker earns less than HUD's guideline income for a one-bedroom (rent at 30% of gross pay).
≤30% of take-home30–40%>40%30% line
| # | Metro | Median pay | Take-home / mo | 1BR FMR | 1BR share | Census median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | $52,080 | $3,669 | $1,167 | 32% | $1,207 |
| 2 | Minneapolis–St. Paul | $59,320 | $4,154 | $1,427 | 34% | $1,440 |
| 3 | Houston | $49,410 | $3,490 | $1,261 | 36% | $1,430 |
| 4 | Baltimore | $59,070 | $4,137 | $1,625 | 39% | $1,611 |
| 5 | Philadelphia | $54,310 | $3,818 | $1,558 | 41% | $1,480 |
| 6 | Phoenix | $51,380 | $3,622 | $1,493 | 41% | $1,702 |
| 7 | Denver | $62,320 | $4,355 | $1,831 | 42% | $1,874 |
| 8 | Dallas–Fort Worth | $51,440 | $3,626 | $1,536 | 42% | $1,614 |
| 9 | Seattle | $72,610 | $4,993 | $2,180 | 44% | $2,000 |
| 10 | Atlanta | $51,170 | $3,608 | $1,619 | 45% | $1,672 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $71,060 | $4,902 | $2,204 | 45% | $2,027 |
| 12 | San Francisco | $74,260 | $5,089 | $2,290 | 45% | $2,474 |
| 13 | Chicago | $54,720 | $3,846 | $1,780 | 46% | $1,430 |
| 14 | Tampa | $48,940 | $3,459 | $1,648 | 48% | $1,628 |
| 15 | Riverside–San Bernardino | $48,400 | $3,422 | $1,705 | 50% | $1,846 |
| 16 | Orlando | $46,630 | $3,304 | $1,726 | 52% | $1,760 |
| 17 | Boston | $66,620 | $4,641 | $2,518 | 54% | $2,023 |
| 18 | San Diego | $58,690 | $4,111 | $2,335 | 57% | $2,246 |
| 19 | Los Angeles | $55,850 | $3,921 | $2,402 | 61% | $2,063 |
| 20 | Miami | $48,640 | $3,439 | $2,121 | 62% | $1,869 |
| 21 | New York | $61,430 | $4,295 | $2,729 | 64% | $1,830 |
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.