RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Lowest median rent, US states · 1990

US states with the lowest median gross rent (1990 ACS). West Virginia leads at $303. 51 states qualify in total. The median across all 51 is $404.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPMEDIAN GROSS RENTVS –

USUnited States248,709,873$450–

01West Virginia, WVWV1,778,373$303–

02South Dakota, SDSD907,428$306–

03Mississippi, MSMS2,946,779$309–

04Montana, MTMT1,116,875$311–

05North Dakota, NDND784,841$313–

06Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824$319–

07Alabama, ALAL5,086,768$325–

08Arkansas, ARAR3,049,391$328–

09Idaho, IDID1,934,262$330–

10Wyoming, WYWY582,397$333–

11Iowa, IAIA3,210,507$336–

12Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,634$340–

13Nebraska, NENE1,978,707$348–

14Louisiana, LALA4,611,961$352–

15Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383$357–

16Missouri, MOMO6,191,814$368–

17Utah, UTUT3,392,331$369–

18New Mexico, NMNM2,120,246$372–

19Kansas, KSKS2,947,197$372–

20Indiana, ININ6,851,073$374–

21South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225$376–

22Ohio, OHOH11,810,293$379–

23North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404$382–

24Texas, TXTX30,188,424$395–

25Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872$399–

26Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639$404–

27Oregon, OROR4,254,293$408–

28Colorado, COCO5,862,189$418–

29Maine, MEME1,387,817$419–

30Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445$422–

31Michigan, MIMI10,077,761$423–

32Georgia, GAGA10,940,407$433–

33Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838$438–

34Washington, WAWA7,816,116$445–

35Illinois, ILIL12,694,798$445–

36Vermont, VTVT647,106$446–

37District of Columbia, DCDC681,294$479–

38Florida, FLFL22,416,077$481–

39New York, NYNY19,852,366$486–

40Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801$489–

41Delaware, DEDE1,021,191$495–

42Virginia, VAVA8,705,170$495–

43Nevada, NVNV3,184,612$509–

44Maryland, MDMD6,206,011$548–

45New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868$549–

46Alaska, AKAK735,706$559–

47Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056$580–

48New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809$592–

49Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508$598–

50California, CACA39,287,377$620–

51Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235$650–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest median gross rent?

West Virginia ranks #1 with $303 (1990 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by median gross rent?

West Virginia, South Dakota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 Decennial Census data.

How is median gross rent measured?

Median gross rent across all renter-occupied units. Source: US Census Bureau, 1990 Decennial Census.