How much rent can I afford making $50k a year?
The 30% rule gives a maximum rent of $1,250 a month including utilities; a landlord who requires income of 3× the rent will accept up to $1,388. That covers HUD's FY2027 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent in 2,725 of 3,229 counties and the two-bedroom in 2,281.
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 | $50,000 a year · $4,167 a month · about $24.04 an hour |
| Max rent, 30% rule | $1,250 (gross rent incl. utilities) |
| Max rent, landlord 3× rule | $1,388 |
| Max rent, 2.5× rule | $1,666 |
Large metro counties where $50k a year covers the Fair Market Rent
Of the 100 most populous metropolitan counties, $50k a year covers the one-bedroom FMR in 19 and the two-bedroom FMR in 3 under the 30% rule. One-bedroom: Bexar County, TX, Wayne County, MI, Oakland County, MI, Cuyahoga County, OH, Allegheny County, PA, Pima County, AZ, St. Louis County, MO, Erie County, NY, Milwaukee County, WI, Shelby County, TN, Hidalgo County, TX, Macomb County, MI, El Paso County, TX, Hamilton County, OH, Oklahoma County, OK, Jefferson County, KY, Monroe County, NY, Utah County, UT, Tulsa County, OK.
Lowest one-bedroom Fair Market Rents among large metro counties
| County | 1 BR FMR | 2 BR FMR | With $50k a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County, TX | $806 | $1,017 | 2 BR fits |
| El Paso County, TX | $969 | $1,146 | 2 BR fits |
| Tulsa County, OK | $1,007 | $1,229 | 2 BR fits |
| Oklahoma County, OK | $1,040 | $1,264 | 1 BR fits |
| Cuyahoga County, OH | $1,050 | $1,274 | 1 BR fits |
| Jefferson County, KY | $1,058 | $1,276 | 1 BR fits |
| Milwaukee County, WI | $1,060 | $1,263 | 1 BR fits |
| Pima County, AZ | $1,092 | $1,405 | 1 BR fits |
| St. Louis County, MO | $1,104 | $1,349 | 1 BR fits |
| Hamilton County, OH | $1,128 | $1,442 | 1 BR fits |
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 | 61 | 58 |
| Alaska | 30 | 17 | 5 |
| Arizona | 15 | 12 | 8 |
| Arkansas | 75 | 75 | 71 |
| California | 58 | 19 | 3 |
| Colorado | 64 | 37 | 20 |
| Connecticut | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Delaware | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Florida | 67 | 33 | 24 |
| Georgia | 159 | 131 | 109 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Idaho | 44 | 38 | 30 |
| Illinois | 102 | 95 | 85 |
| Indiana | 92 | 82 | 67 |
| Iowa | 99 | 99 | 91 |
| Kansas | 105 | 100 | 98 |
| Kentucky | 120 | 120 | 101 |
| Louisiana | 64 | 64 | 57 |
| Maine | 16 | 11 | 4 |
| Maryland | 24 | 9 | 6 |
| Massachusetts | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 83 | 78 | 64 |
| Minnesota | 87 | 76 | 72 |
| Mississippi | 82 | 82 | 73 |
| Missouri | 116 | 108 | 100 |
| Montana | 56 | 50 | 21 |
| Nebraska | 93 | 93 | 89 |
| Nevada | 17 | 14 | 6 |
| New Hampshire | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| New Jersey | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 33 | 31 | 24 |
| New York | 62 | 42 | 25 |
| North Carolina | 100 | 80 | 65 |
| North Dakota | 53 | 52 | 48 |
| Ohio | 88 | 81 | 71 |
| Oklahoma | 77 | 77 | 72 |
| Oregon | 36 | 24 | 16 |
| Pennsylvania | 67 | 52 | 37 |
| Puerto Rico | 78 | 78 | 78 |
| Rhode Island | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 46 | 37 | 34 |
| South Dakota | 66 | 66 | 59 |
| Tennessee | 95 | 84 | 68 |
| Texas | 254 | 228 | 199 |
| Utah | 29 | 22 | 17 |
| Vermont | 14 | 5 | 1 |
| Virginia | 133 | 81 | 65 |
| Washington | 39 | 26 | 8 |
| West Virginia | 55 | 55 | 53 |
| Wisconsin | 72 | 69 | 53 |
| Wyoming | 23 | 22 | 22 |
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 · $20 an hour · $22 an hour · $25 an hour · $30 an hour · $40k 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.