A new study from RentHop assessed the cheapest cities for singles, and needless to say, unattached New Yorkers aren’t going to be too jazzed with the findings.
Considering our beloved metropolis consists of the most competitive rental markets in the country and rents are rising seven times faster than wages, we didn’t necessarily have high hopes for our standings. Regardless, let’s dive in.
The cheapest cities for singles, per RentHop
RentHop went about collecting the median list price of a studio apartment against the median “non-family” income in the 50 most populous cities in the country. Here are the nitty, gritty details, including the median single income and how much residents put towards their rent for each respective city.
As you might’ve guessed, New Yorkers spend the most toward rent at a whopping 68% of their income with an average of $3,375 per month. Yowza!
Least income towards rent
- Wichita, Kansas: $39,336 median single income, 18% of income for rent
- Columbus, Ohio: $50,721 median single income, 21% of income for rent
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: $60,539 median single income, 21% of income for rent
- Seattle, Washington: $85,653 median single income, 21% of income for rent
- Colorado Springs, Colorado: $54,637 median single income, 22% of income for rent
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: $41,022 median single income, 22% of income for rent
- Albuquerque, New Mexico: $44,957 median single income, 22% of income for rent
- Austin, Texas: $68,630 median single income, 22% of income for rent
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $45,092 median single income, 22% of income for rent
- Indianapolis, Indiana: $43,983 median single income, 23% of income for rent
Most income towards rent
- New York, NY: $59,947 median single income, 68% of income for rent
- Miami, Florida: $45,956 median single income, 54% of income for rent
- Detroit, Michigan: $28,196 median single income, 37% of income for rent
- Boston, Massachusetts: $77,303 median single income, 36% of income for rent
- Los Angeles, California: $59,406 median single income, 36% of income for rent
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: $45,022 median single income, 33% of income for rent
- Baltimore, Maryland: $46,020 median single income, 33% of income for rent
- Virginia Beach, Virginia: $59,426 median single income, 32% of income for rent
- Nashville, Tennessee: $57,683 median single income, 31% of income for rent
- Houston, Texas: $49,854 median single income, 31% of income for rent
These results especially sting considering NYC has also been named one of the worst cities in the U.S. to be single.
Though expensive, obviously, NYC is still considered one of the best cities in the U.S., and we can’t argue with that. To make these numbers and stats a little less-cringeworthy, allow us to point you towards our favorite free things to do and cheap things to do in NYC while on a budget. Read the report in full on RentHop.
Best of luck apartment hunting and spouse hunting in the Big Apple.