How much rent can I afford making $20 an hour?

$20 an hour is $41,600 a year before tax at 40 hours a week. The 30% rule gives a maximum rent of $1,040 a month including utilities; a landlord who requires income of 3× the rent will accept up to $1,155. That covers HUD's FY2027 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent in 2,321 of 3,229 counties and the two-bedroom in 1,504.

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	$41,600 a year · $3,467 a month
Max rent, 30% rule	$1,040 (gross rent incl. utilities)
Max rent, landlord 3× rule	$1,155
Max rent, 2.5× rule	$1,386

Large metro counties where $20 an hour covers the Fair Market Rent

Of the 100 most populous metropolitan counties, $20 an hour covers the one-bedroom FMR in 4 and the two-bedroom FMR in 1 under the 30% rule. One-bedroom: Hidalgo County, TX, El Paso County, TX, Oklahoma County, OK, Tulsa County, OK.

Lowest one-bedroom Fair Market Rents among large metro counties

County	1 BR FMR	2 BR FMR	With $20 an hour
Hidalgo County, TX	$806	$1,017	2 BR fits
El Paso County, TX	$969	$1,146	1 BR fits
Tulsa County, OK	$1,007	$1,229	1 BR fits
Oklahoma County, OK	$1,040	$1,264	1 BR fits
Cuyahoga County, OH	$1,050	$1,274	$10 short for 1 BR
Jefferson County, KY	$1,058	$1,276	$18 short for 1 BR
Milwaukee County, WI	$1,060	$1,263	$20 short for 1 BR
Pima County, AZ	$1,092	$1,405	$52 short for 1 BR
St. Louis County, MO	$1,104	$1,349	$64 short for 1 BR
Hamilton County, OH	$1,128	$1,442	$88 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	57	44
Alaska	30	7	1
Arizona	15	9	1
Arkansas	75	71	62
California	58	6	0
Colorado	64	29	4
Connecticut	9	0	0
Delaware	3	0	0
District of Columbia	1	0	0
Florida	67	24	13
Georgia	159	100	77
Hawaii	5	0	0
Idaho	44	33	10
Illinois	102	87	65
Indiana	92	69	38
Iowa	99	91	77
Kansas	105	98	77
Kentucky	120	101	81
Louisiana	64	57	37
Maine	16	6	0
Maryland	24	7	2
Massachusetts	14	0	0
Michigan	83	68	30
Minnesota	87	74	43
Mississippi	82	73	65
Missouri	116	100	83
Montana	56	25	4
Nebraska	93	89	68
Nevada	17	9	1
New Hampshire	10	1	0
New Jersey	21	0	0
New Mexico	33	24	14
New York	62	28	8
North Carolina	100	64	40
North Dakota	53	49	32
Ohio	88	71	43
Oklahoma	77	77	65
Oregon	36	19	6
Pennsylvania	67	37	24
Puerto Rico	78	78	78
Rhode Island	5	0	0
South Carolina	46	29	21
South Dakota	66	58	34
Tennessee	95	70	46
Texas	254	194	70
Utah	29	18	5
Vermont	14	0	0
Virginia	133	60	37
Washington	39	12	0
West Virginia	55	53	46
Wisconsin	72	64	36
Wyoming	23	22	14

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 · $18 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.