How much rent can I afford making $18 an hour?
$18 an hour is $37,440 a year before tax at 40 hours a week. The 30% rule gives a maximum rent of $936 a month including utilities; a landlord who requires income of 3× the rent will accept up to $1,040. That covers HUD's FY2027 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent in 1,974 of 3,229 counties and the two-bedroom in 454.
Data: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents (effective October 1, 2026), FY2026 income limits (effective May 1, 2026). Spot-checked against the official sources on November 5, 2026 (results). Last site change: November 8, 2026 (changelog).
| Gross income | $37,440 a year · $3,120 a month |
| Max rent, 30% rule | $936 (gross rent incl. utilities) |
| Max rent, landlord 3× rule | $1,040 |
| Max rent, 2.5× rule | $1,248 |
Large metro counties where $18 an hour covers the Fair Market Rent
Of the 100 most populous metropolitan counties, $18 an hour covers the one-bedroom FMR in 1 and the two-bedroom FMR in 0 under the 30% rule. One-bedroom: Hidalgo County, TX.
Lowest one-bedroom Fair Market Rents among large metro counties
| County | 1 BR FMR | 2 BR FMR | With $18 an hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County, TX | $806 | $1,017 | 1 BR fits |
| El Paso County, TX | $969 | $1,146 | $33 short for 1 BR |
| Tulsa County, OK | $1,007 | $1,229 | $71 short for 1 BR |
| Oklahoma County, OK | $1,040 | $1,264 | $104 short for 1 BR |
| Cuyahoga County, OH | $1,050 | $1,274 | $114 short for 1 BR |
| Jefferson County, KY | $1,058 | $1,276 | $122 short for 1 BR |
| Milwaukee County, WI | $1,060 | $1,263 | $124 short for 1 BR |
| Pima County, AZ | $1,092 | $1,405 | $156 short for 1 BR |
| St. Louis County, MO | $1,104 | $1,349 | $168 short for 1 BR |
| Hamilton County, OH | $1,128 | $1,442 | $192 short for 1 BR |
The most expensive large counties for comparison: San Francisco County, CA (1 BR $3,003); San Mateo County, CA (1 BR $3,003); Santa Clara County, CA (1 BR $2,778); Kings County, NY (1 BR $2,729); Queens County, NY (1 BR $2,729).
Counties by state
| State | Counties | 1 BR FMR within 30% | 2 BR FMR within 30% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 67 | 49 | 28 |
| Alaska | 30 | 2 | 0 |
| Arizona | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 75 | 66 | 49 |
| California | 58 | 2 | 0 |
| Colorado | 64 | 14 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Delaware | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Florida | 67 | 16 | 0 |
| Georgia | 159 | 90 | 0 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Idaho | 44 | 21 | 0 |
| Illinois | 102 | 76 | 43 |
| Indiana | 92 | 62 | 0 |
| Iowa | 99 | 88 | 50 |
| Kansas | 105 | 95 | 0 |
| Kentucky | 120 | 95 | 62 |
| Louisiana | 64 | 45 | 29 |
| Maine | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Maryland | 24 | 3 | 0 |
| Massachusetts | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 83 | 52 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 87 | 59 | 0 |
| Mississippi | 82 | 67 | 52 |
| Missouri | 116 | 98 | 0 |
| Montana | 56 | 13 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 93 | 84 | 0 |
| Nevada | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| New Hampshire | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 33 | 23 | 0 |
| New York | 62 | 18 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 100 | 48 | 0 |
| North Dakota | 53 | 45 | 0 |
| Ohio | 88 | 64 | 0 |
| Oklahoma | 77 | 66 | 44 |
| Oregon | 36 | 15 | 0 |
| Pennsylvania | 67 | 33 | 0 |
| Puerto Rico | 78 | 78 | 78 |
| Rhode Island | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 46 | 25 | 19 |
| South Dakota | 66 | 50 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 95 | 63 | 0 |
| Texas | 254 | 157 | 0 |
| Utah | 29 | 12 | 0 |
| Vermont | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Virginia | 133 | 45 | 0 |
| Washington | 39 | 3 | 0 |
| West Virginia | 55 | 52 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | 72 | 47 | 0 |
| Wyoming | 23 | 21 | 0 |
Fair Market Rent = HUD's estimate of the 40th-percentile gross rent (rent plus utilities) paid by recent movers, most populous FMR area per county. Asking rents for vacant apartments are often higher. Income before taxes; the 30% rule is a guideline, not a qualification rule.
Try your own numbers in the rent affordability calculator, or see if you qualify for help with the Section 8 calculator and the income limits.
Other incomes: $15 an hour · $16 an hour · $17 an hour · $20 an hour · $22 an hour · $25 an hour · $30 an hour · $40k a year · $50k a year · $60k a year · $70k a year · $80k a year · $100k a year
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.