US Cities With the Cheapest Rent (2026)

Ranked by median gross rent alone, from lowest to highest. Pair this with "US Cities Where $50K Covers Rent" to see which of these also clear the standard 30%-of-income affordability guideline on a modest salary.

Source: US Census Bureau, FEMA National Risk Index, and FHFA House Price Index (where applicable).

#	City	Value
1	Dayton, OH Salary needed →	$830/mo rent
2	Cleveland, OH Salary needed →	$851/mo rent
3	Toledo, OH Salary needed →	$854/mo rent
4	Green Bay, WI Salary needed →	$864/mo rent
5	Brownsville, TX Salary needed →	$872/mo rent
6	Springfield, MO Salary needed →	$878/mo rent
7	Cedar Rapids, IA Salary needed →	$886/mo rent
8	Akron, OH Salary needed →	$887/mo rent
9	Davenport, IA Salary needed →	$890/mo rent
10	Cincinnati, OH Salary needed →	$893/mo rent
11	Fargo, ND Salary needed →	$900/mo rent
12	Fort Wayne, IN Salary needed →	$904/mo rent
13	Rockford, IL Salary needed →	$906/mo rent
14	Las Cruces, NM Salary needed →	$907/mo rent
15	Springfield, IL Salary needed →	$913/mo rent
16	Wichita, KS Salary needed →	$915/mo rent
17	Evansville, IN Salary needed →	$917/mo rent
18	Peoria, IL Salary needed →	$917/mo rent
19	Edinburg, TX Salary needed →	$920/mo rent
20	Topeka, KS Salary needed →	$926/mo rent
21	Syracuse, NY Salary needed →	$932/mo rent
22	South Bend, IN Salary needed →	$935/mo rent
23	St. Louis, MO Salary needed →	$938/mo rent
24	Pueblo, CO Salary needed →	$940/mo rent
25	Buffalo, NY Salary needed →	$942/mo rent
26	Shreveport, LA Salary needed →	$945/mo rent
27	Wichita Falls, TX Salary needed →	$949/mo rent
28	Lansing, MI Salary needed →	$954/mo rent
29	McAllen, TX Salary needed →	$955/mo rent
30	Winston-Salem, NC Salary needed →	$956/mo rent
31	Tulsa, OK Salary needed →	$958/mo rent
32	Sioux Falls, SD Salary needed →	$965/mo rent
33	Macon-Bibb County, GA Salary needed →	$967/mo rent
34	Laredo, TX Salary needed →	$968/mo rent
35	El Paso, TX Salary needed →	$976/mo rent
36	Jackson, MS Salary needed →	$980/mo rent
37	Tuscaloosa, AL Salary needed →	$980/mo rent
38	Milwaukee, WI Salary needed →	$982/mo rent
39	Mobile, AL Salary needed →	$985/mo rent
40	Detroit, MI Salary needed →	$989/mo rent
41	Tucson, AZ Salary needed →	$991/mo rent
42	Beaumont, TX Salary needed →	$992/mo rent
43	Des Moines, IA Salary needed →	$995/mo rent
44	Rochester, NY Salary needed →	$995/mo rent
45	Birmingham, AL Salary needed →	$995/mo rent
46	Amarillo, TX Salary needed →	$997/mo rent
47	Columbia, MO Salary needed →	$997/mo rent
48	Lincoln, NE Salary needed →	$998/mo rent
49	Norman, OK Salary needed →	$1,004/mo rent
50	Little Rock, AR Salary needed →	$1,006/mo rent

US Cities With the Cheapest Rent (2026)

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