The salary you need to afford rent in every state, ranked

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The salary you need to afford rent in every state, ranked

california coast

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You need a six-figure salary to keep rent costs below 30% of your income in California.

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  • Renters have their work - or wallets - cut out for them.
  • GoBankingRates recently revealed the salary renters need to afford rent for a single-family home in every US state.
  • In some states, renters need to earn as much as $100,000. Only four states have a median rent less than $1,000.

Being a renter these days isn't fun.

Renters spent a record amount of money on housing in 2017, and in some cities, they're dealing with climbing rents.

So just how much of your income should you plan to shell out for rent? The answer depends on where you live.

GoBankingRates recently revealed how big your annual salary needs to be to afford rent in every US state, including Washington, DC. To determine the list, they used the budget rule of thumb that one should spend no more than 30% of annual income on housing.

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They then found the median rent for a single-family residence in each state using the Zillow Rent Index, and calculated how much annual income one needs for rent costs to equal less than 30%.

The top-five states where you need to earn the most money to afford rent are all coastal - and you need to earn six figures to rent in the top two, California and Washington, DC. Meanwhile, the top-five states where you need the lowest salary to pay rent are in the South or Midwest. Four of these are the only states on the list with a median rent less than $1,000, meaning one can earn less than $40,000 and still afford rent.

From Florida to New York, see the salary you need to afford rent in every state, ranked from lowest to highest.

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51. West Virginia

51. West Virginia

Annual income needed: $35,520

Monthly income needed: $2,960

Median rent: $888

50. Oklahoma

50. Oklahoma

Annual income needed: $38,000

Monthly income needed: $3,166.67

Median rent: $950

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49. Arkansas

49. Arkansas

Annual income needed: $38,120

Monthly income needed: $3,176.67

Median rent: $953

48. Alabama

48. Alabama

Annual income needed: $39,920

Monthly income needed: $3,326.67

Median rent: $998

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47. Missouri

47. Missouri

Annual income needed: $41,880

Monthly income needed: $3,490

Median rent: $1,047

46. Kansas

46. Kansas

Annual income needed: $42,040

Monthly income needed: $3,503.33

Median rent: $1,051

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45. Mississippi

45. Mississippi

Annual income needed: $42,200

Monthly income needed: $3,516.67

Median rent: $1,055

44. Iowa

44. Iowa

Annual income needed: $42,280

Monthly income needed: $3,523.33

Median rent: $1,057

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43. Kentucky

43. Kentucky

Annual income needed: $43,360

Monthly income needed: $3,613.33

Median rent: $1,084

42. Michigan

42. Michigan

Annual income needed: $44,400

Monthly income needed: $3,700

Median rent: $1,110

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40 (TIE). Ohio

40 (TIE). Ohio

Annual income needed: $44,520

Monthly income needed: $3,710

Median rent: $1,113

40 (TIE). Indiana

40 (TIE). Indiana

Annual income needed: $44,520

Monthly income needed: $3,710

Median rent: $1,113

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39. Wisconsin

39. Wisconsin

Annual income needed: $45,640

Monthly income needed: $3,803.33

Median rent: $1,141

38. Wyoming

38. Wyoming

Annual income needed: $45,960

Monthly income needed: $3,830

Median rent: $1,149

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37. Tennessee

37. Tennessee

Annual income needed: $46,120

Monthly income needed: $3,843.33

Median rent: $1,153

36. New Mexico

36. New Mexico

Annual income needed: $48,000

Monthly income needed: $4,000

Median rent: $1,200

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35. North Carolina

35. North Carolina

Annual income needed: $48,320

Monthly income needed: $4,026.67

Median rent: $1,208

34. South Carolina

34. South Carolina

Annual income needed: $48,360

Monthly income needed: $4,030

Median rent: $1,209

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33. South Dakota

33. South Dakota

Annual income needed: $48,520

Monthly income needed: $4,043.33

Median rent: $1,213

32. Montana

32. Montana

Annual income needed: $49,360

Monthly income needed: $4,113.33

Median rent: $1,234

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31. Idaho

31. Idaho

Annual income needed: $49,520

Monthly income needed: $4,126.67

Median rent: $1,238

30. Pennsylvania

30. Pennsylvania

Annual income needed: $49,680

Monthly income needed: $4,140.00

Median rent: $1,242

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29. Louisiana

29. Louisiana

Annual income needed: $49,800

Monthly income needed: $4,150

Median rent: $1,245

28. Nebraska

28. Nebraska

Annual income needed: $50,120

Monthly income needed: $4,176.67

Median rent: $1,253

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27. Georgia

27. Georgia

Annual income needed: $50,480

Monthly income needed: $4,206.67

Median rent: $1,262

26. North Dakota

26. North Dakota

Annual income needed: $51,600

Monthly income needed: $4,300

Median rent: $1,290

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25. Arizona

25. Arizona

Annual income needed: $54,240

Monthly income needed: $4,520

Median rent: $1,356

24. Nevada

24. Nevada

Annual income needed: $56,920

Monthly income needed: $4,743.33

Median rent: $1,423

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23. Delaware

23. Delaware

Annual income needed: $57,400

Monthly income needed: $4,783.33

Median rent: $1,435

22. Minnesota

22. Minnesota

Annual income needed: $57,960

Monthly income needed: $4,830

Median rent: $1,449

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21. Virginia

21. Virginia

Annual income needed: $58,080

Monthly income needed: $4,840

Median rent: $1,452

20. Texas

20. Texas

Annual income needed: $58,200

Monthly income needed: $4,850

Median rent: $1,455

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19. Illinois

19. Illinois

Annual income needed: $58,520

Monthly income needed: $4,876.67

Median rent: $1,463

18. Maine

18. Maine

Annual income needed: $58,640

Monthly income needed: $4,886.67

Median rent: $1,466

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17. Utah

17. Utah

Annual income needed: $61,040

Monthly income needed: $5,086.67

Median rent: $1,526

16. Florida

16. Florida

Annual income needed: $63,600

Monthly income needed: $5,300

Median rent: $1,590

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15. Vermont

15. Vermont

Annual income needed: $63,960

Monthly income needed: $5,330

Median rent: $1,599

14. Oregon

14. Oregon

Annual income needed: $68,280

Monthly income needed: $5,690

Median rent: $1,707

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13. Rhode Island

13. Rhode Island

Annual income needed: $69,000

Monthly income needed: $5,750

Median rent: $1,725

12. Alaska

12. Alaska

Annual income needed: $69,920

Monthly income needed: $5,826.67

Median rent: $1,748

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11. New Hampshire

11. New Hampshire

Annual income needed: $69,920

Monthly income needed: $5,826.67

Median rent: $1,748

10. Connecticut

10. Connecticut

Annual income needed: $72,120

Monthly income needed: $6,010

Median rent: $1,803

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9. Maryland

9. Maryland

Annual income needed: $72,280

Monthly income needed: $6,023.33

Median rent: $1,807

8. Washington

8. Washington

Annual income needed: $73,520

Monthly income needed: $6,126.67

Median rent: $1,838

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7. Colorado

7. Colorado

Annual income needed: $77,080

Monthly income needed: $6,423.33

Median rent: $1,927

6. New York

6. New York

Annual income needed: $82,000

Monthly income needed: $6,833.33

Median rent: $2,050

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5. New Jersey

5. New Jersey

Annual income needed: $82,480

Monthly income needed: $82,480

Median rent: $2,062

4. Massachusetts

4. Massachusetts

Annual income needed: $90,080

Monthly income needed: $7,506.67

Median rent: $2,252

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3. Hawaii

3. Hawaii

Annual income needed: $99,240

Monthly income needed: $8,270

Median rent: $2,481

2. California

2. California

Annual income needed: $100,720

Monthly income needed: $8,393.33

Median rent: $2,518

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1. Washington DC

1. Washington DC

Annual income needed: $108,440

Monthly income needed: $9,036.67

Median rent: $2,711