4 min read

What States Have the Cheapest Rent?

Written by Shawnna Stiver on October 15, 2026

Reviewed by Treh Manhertz, Edited by Suzanne De Vita

West Virginia, North Dakota, and Iowa are three states considered to have the cheapest rent. These are the only three states with a typical monthly rent of less than $1,200. By comparison, the median rent in the U.S. is $1,800 for a 950-square foot apartment, according to Zillow data. That means renters in the cheapest states are paying one-third less than the national median cost for similar space.

If you’re looking for the best deals in today’s rental housing market, you're in the place. We’ll explore which states have the cheapest rent, compare average costs by bedroom size, and see how they stack up against the most expensive places to rent in the country.

These states have the cheapest rents

The least expensive state for rent overall is West Virginia, where the median rent is $1,140 for a 1,000-square foot apartment. Rounding out the top 10 list are North Dakota, Iowa, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kansas, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas.

When it comes to states with the cheapest rent, the top 10 offer surprisingly spacious homes at costs well below the national median.

Note: None of the median list rent prices have utilities included. You’ll need to add those expenses to your budget to decide how much to save for an apartment.

States with the cheapest rent for a studio

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	Kansas	$849	500
2	New Mexico	$850	420
3	Mississippi	$855	450
4	Iowa	$899	476
5	Oklahoma	$900	480
6	South Dakota	$925	531
7	North Dakota	$935	534
8	West Virginia	$945	408
9	Kentucky	$984	475
10	Missouri	$984	489

States with the cheapest rent for 1 bedroom

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	West Virginia	$897	700
2	Oklahoma	$950	704
3	Wyoming	$1,000	697
4	Iowa	$1,012	680
5	North Dakota	$1,020	720
6	South Dakota	$1,030	704
7	Kansas	$1,103	722
8	Kentucky	$1,115	730
9	Mississippi	$1,129	756
10	Arkansas	$1,147	726

States with the cheapest rent for 2 bedrooms

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	West Virginia	$1,038	940
2	Oklahoma	$1,150	975
3	North Dakota	$1,160	1,000
4	Iowa	$1,175	923
5	Arkansas	$1,199	1,000
6	Wyoming	$1,200	949
7	South Dakota	$1,215	971
8	Mississippi	$1,289	1,050
9	Kansas	$1,300	973
10	Alabama	$1,303	1,080

States with the cheapest rent for 3+ bedrooms

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	Iowa	$1,600	1,300
2	Oklahoma	$1,600	1,400
3	Alabama	$1,645	1,458
4	Arkansas	$1,650	1,466
5	Mississippi	$1,675	1,398
6	South Dakota	$1,699	1,322
7	Wyoming	$1,700	1,308
8	Kansas	$1,703	1,400
9	Missouri	$1,725	1,367
10	North Dakota	$1,739	1,309

These states have the most expensive rents

On the other end of the spectrum, the 10 most expensive states for renters can cost nearly four times more than the least expensive ones — and you’ll still need to factor in the cost of utilities.

The priciest rental market overall is Hawaii, where the median rent is $3,100 for an 866-square foot apartment. It’s followed by Massachusetts, New York, California, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Virginia

States with the most expensive rent for a studio

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	New York	$2,900	500
2	Massachusetts	$2,352	468
3	New Jersey	$2,300	515
4	California	$1,950	473
5	Washington, D.C.	$1,829	480
6	Connecticut	$1,800	519
7	Hawaii	$1,800	373
8	Rhode Island	$1,800	454
9	Illinois	$1,750	500
10	New Hampshire	$1,730	500

States with the most expensive rent for 1 bedroom

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	New York	$2,734	724
2	Massachusetts	$2,650	700
3	Hawaii	$2,400	576
4	California	$2,361	700
5	Washington, D.C.	$2,314	681
6	New Jersey	$2,250	749
7	Connecticut	$2,050	750
8	Rhode Island	$1,950	710
9	Illinois	$1,905	722
10	New Hampshire	$1,885	709

States with the most expensive rent for 2 bedrooms

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	Washington, D.C.	$3,200	900
2	Massachusetts	$3,180	985
3	Hawaii	$3,000	864
4	New York	$2,895	1,000
5	California	$2,875	980
6	New Jersey	$2,690	1,049
7	Connecticut	$2,350	1,045
8	New Hampshire	$2,250	975
9	Rhode Island	$2,200	990
10	Vermont	$2,100	960

States with the most expensive rent for 3+ bedrooms

No.	State	Median list rent	Median square feet
1	Washington, D.C.	$4,300	1,500
2	Massachusetts	$4,275	1,296
3	Hawaii	$4,200	1,450
4	California	$3,899	1,560
5	New York	$3,800	1,500
6	New Jersey	$3,000	1,466
7	New Hampshire	$2,900	1,447
8	Colorado	$2,800	1,566
9	Rhode Island	$2,800	1,300
10	Vermont	$2,750	1,500

Finding the right rental for your budget

Rent prices vary widely depending on location, bedroom size and other factors. The most affordable rentals tend to be in the Midwest and South, while the more expensive ones are in the Northeast, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C.

As you plan your move to a new rental, use Zillow’s Rent Affordability Calculator to help you budget for your next apartment. This tool allows you to see how much rent you may be able to comfortably afford based on your income, monthly expenses and desired location.

Want to know which cities are cheapest? Check out cities with the cheapest rent.

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