salaryPay has kept up with rent, so the typical renter is no worse off than in 2024. But the national number hides big regional differences.
Rent increase by region
Rent rose fastest in the Midwest (+10.6%) and slowest in the South (+5.2%), where pay growth actually outpaced rent.
Typical rent in the 15 biggest cities
| City | 2024 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $2,543 | $2,806 | +$263 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,356 | $2,498 | +$142 |
| Chicago, IL | $1,793 | $1,983 | +$190 |
| Houston, TX | $1,457 | $1,533 | +$76 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $1,785 | $1,893 | +$108 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $1,644 | $1,814 | +$170 |
| San Antonio, TX | $1,390 | $1,463 | +$73 |
| San Diego, CA | $2,840 | $3,011 | +$171 |
| Dallas, TX | $1,673 | $1,760 | +$87 |
| San Jose, CA | $2,873 | $3,046 | +$173 |
| Austin, TX | $1,836 | $1,932 | +$96 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $1,634 | $1,719 | +$85 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $1,687 | $1,775 | +$88 |
| Columbus, OH | $1,457 | $1,611 | +$154 |
| Charlotte, NC | $1,788 | $1,881 | +$93 |
Rent: median rent plus utilities for recent movers (Census ACS 2020–2024), updated with the regional rent-of-primary-residence index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay: BLS average hourly earnings, private sector. Both compared with their 2024 averages.