Housing Affordability by State: A FMR Analysis

Using HUD Fair Market Rent data from FY2024, we can compare housing affordability across all 50 states. The results confirm what many already know intuitively: coastal states are dramatically more expensive than interior states, but the scale of the difference may still surprise you.

Least Affordable States (Highest 2BR FMRs)

California dominates the high-cost list, with metros like San Francisco ($3,135), San Diego ($2,215), and Los Angeles ($2,340) representing the most expensive in the nation. New York ($2,383 metro average) and Washington DC ($2,020) also rank near the top.

Most Affordable States

West Virginia, with rural 2BR FMRs around $660, is consistently among the most affordable. Mississippi, Arkansas, and South Dakota also have very low FMRs by national standards.

Browse all state FMR data to compare your state.