Rental market crisis: The 9 most rent-burdened cities in the U.S.

Since the inception of the pandemic, national average asking rents shot up nearly 19%, according to a Moody’s Analytics CRE report released earlier this month. Now, asking rents are more than $1,800 per month—but they’re much higher in certain cities than others. The rent-to-income ratio peaked in the second quarter of 2022 at 28.8%, which means that renters spent that percentage of their income on housing each month. The general rule of thumb is that renters shouldn’t spend more than 30% of their income on their rent each month, so the national average is dangerously close to that figure.

The nine most rent-burdened cities in the U.S., according to Moody’s, are as follows:

1. New York City

It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the Big Apple takes the cake for being the most rent-burdened city in the U.S. Renters pay a whopping 57.1% of their income each month on rent. In order to live “comfortably” in New York City, renters need to make more than $164,000—yes, renters due to “its high housing costs, dynamic job market, and extensive amenities that command a premium,” according to Moody’s.

2. Miami

Coming in second, Miami renters, on average, spend 36.6% of their income on rent each month. Miami has become popular in recent years for its “growing tech and finance sectors” as well as international migration and ties to Latin America. Miami also had the highest annual growth rate in rents this year at 2.8%. “The higher incomes in [Miami] haven’t quite eclipsed the rental price increases,” Maureen McDermut, a realtor with Sotheby’s International-Montecito, tells Fortune. “But areas adjacent to Miami are seeing rents decrease as demand to be in the city itself continues to rise.”

3. Fort Lauderdale

South Florida in general has become a more sought-after market recently, with Fort Lauderdale being no exception. Renters here spend an average of 32.4% of their income on rent every month. CoStar, a real estate analytics company, has also reported that Miami and Fort Lauderdale, in contrast to Palm Beach, illustrate a bifurcated market in South Florida. Miami and Fort Lauderdale rental prices continue to rise while Palm Beach falls.

4. Los Angeles

Los Angeles is also infamous for its high cost-of-living standards, which shines through in its rental market. LA renters spend 32.4% of their paychecks each month just on housing. Other California cities have been forced to drop rental prices as more people move away, so time will tell whether LA will need to follow this trend to retain people.

5. Flagstaff

This one may surprise you—especially if you’ve never heard of Flagstaff. It’s a fairly small city in Arizona with a population of about 76,000 people, but it’s known for being one of the most expensive for renters. Another study released by Construction Coverage in November 2023 showed that the average rent in Flagstaff was more than $2,100. The Moody’s report shows that Flagstaff renters spend 31.3% of their income on rent each month. Seeing Flagstaff on the list was a “surprise” since it doesn’t follow the pattern of being a major metro area, McDermut says.

6. Boston

Beloved for its Northeastern charm, Boston is also notoriously expensive. Renters in Boston typically have to set aside 30.7% of their income every month for rentals, according to Moody’s. Another report from late April shows that asking median rents in Boston  are nearly $4,000, and “many in Boston may be set to face higher rent prices amid inflation and rising food prices in the years to come,” according to The Patriot Ledger.

7. Northern New Jersey

Folks who live in Northern New Jersey may not have to deal with some of the ways of city life, but they’re not completely avoiding high rents. On average, rental residents who live in Northern New Jersey spend 30.4% of their paychecks on housing each month. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, though, just signed a major affordable housing reform bill that could ease costs and increase supply. 

8. Palm Beach, Fla. 

While Palm Beach asking rents have started declining some, residents there are still rent-burdened and spending 30.3% on housing each month. “Southern Florida metros remain attractive to renters, exacerbating unaffordability challenges as rent increases outpace income growth,” according to Moody’s.

9. Westchester, N.Y.

Westchester is another popular destination for ex-NYC residents or those who want to be able to access the city at their leisure. While they’re not as rent-burdened as NYC dwellers, they still spend 30.2% of their income on housing each month, according to Moody’s.