U.S. Rental Market Data for Investors (2026)
Data updated April 2026 · 50 states · 3,000+ screened cities
Every state and city here is ranked from the same public data — Zillow home values and rents, Census population and income, BLS unemployment, FBI crime, and state tax and landlord-tenant law. No sponsored placements, no editorial guesses; the methodology is public. Pick a ranking below, or jump straight to a state.
National rankings
Cities where rents are highest relative to home prices — ranked by rent-to-price ratio.
Cheapest Cities to Buy Rental Property (2026)The most affordable entry points — investable cities with the lowest median home values.
Fastest-Growing Rental Markets (2026)Cities where rents are rising fastest year over year.
Most Landlord-Friendly States (2026)States ranked by landlord-tenant law friendliness — eviction timelines, rent control, deposit rules.
Lowest Property Tax States (2026)States where property taxes take the smallest bite out of rental cash flow.
Best States to Buy Rental Property (2026)States ranked by rent-to-price ratio — where the rent check is largest relative to the purchase price.
All 50 states, ranked by rent-to-price
Annual rent ÷ median home value — the first cash-flow screen. Click any state for its best cities, taxes, and landlord-law profile.
| # | State | Rent / Price | Median Home Value | Median Rent | Landlord Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 6.1% | $194,242 | $990/mo | 85/100 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 6.1% | $174,876 | $883/mo | 70/100 |
| 3 | Louisiana | 5.9% | $214,727 | $1,064/mo | 74/100 |
| 4 | Texas | 5.9% | $302,187 | $1,475/mo | 82/100 |
| 5 | Florida | 5.8% | $376,504 | $1,812/mo | 78/100 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 5.6% | $221,764 | $1,044/mo | 82/100 |
| 7 | Illinois | 5.5% | $290,210 | $1,322/mo | 38/100 |
| 8 | Alabama | 5.5% | $236,704 | $1,077/mo | 82/100 |
| 9 | Georgia | 5.4% | $333,559 | $1,506/mo | 80/100 |
| 10 | Ohio | 5.3% | $244,843 | $1,090/mo | 68/100 |
| 11 | Michigan | 5.3% | $263,589 | $1,168/mo | 65/100 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 5.3% | $222,299 | $982/mo | 85/100 |
| 13 | Kansas | 5.3% | $246,369 | $1,079/mo | 72/100 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 5.2% | $286,387 | $1,252/mo | 48/100 |
| 15 | Indiana | 5.2% | $256,583 | $1,104/mo | 82/100 |
| 16 | Kentucky | 5.2% | $232,231 | $998/mo | 78/100 |
| 17 | Iowa | 5.0% | $234,891 | $981/mo | 70/100 |
| 18 | South Carolina | 5.0% | $305,173 | $1,272/mo | 80/100 |
| 19 | Missouri | 4.8% | $265,397 | $1,067/mo | 80/100 |
| 20 | Maryland | 4.8% | $431,934 | $1,721/mo | 30/100 |
| 21 | Virginia | 4.8% | $414,320 | $1,646/mo | 62/100 |
| 22 | North Carolina | 4.8% | $337,272 | $1,338/mo | 80/100 |
| 23 | Nebraska | 4.7% | $279,080 | $1,102/mo | 72/100 |
| 24 | Arizona | 4.7% | $423,745 | $1,672/mo | 80/100 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 4.6% | $334,074 | $1,284/mo | 82/100 |
| 26 | Nevada | 4.6% | $447,225 | $1,709/mo | 62/100 |
| 27 | Delaware | 4.5% | $405,835 | $1,530/mo | 58/100 |
| 28 | Alaska | 4.4% | $390,107 | $1,444/mo | 68/100 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 4.4% | $350,891 | $1,291/mo | 40/100 |
| 30 | New Mexico | 4.2% | $317,473 | $1,117/mo | 45/100 |
| 31 | Connecticut | 4.2% | $441,466 | $1,550/mo | 35/100 |
| 32 | North Dakota | 4.1% | $286,406 | $980/mo | 78/100 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | 4.1% | $333,908 | $1,142/mo | 60/100 |
| 34 | Colorado | 4.0% | $543,270 | $1,822/mo | 42/100 |
| 35 | Vermont | 4.0% | $394,227 | $1,319/mo | 25/100 |
| 36 | New York | 3.8% | $510,449 | $1,634/mo | 12/100 |
| 37 | Oregon | 3.8% | $501,660 | $1,597/mo | 28/100 |
| 38 | New Jersey | 3.8% | $571,372 | $1,800/mo | 20/100 |
| 39 | South Dakota | 3.8% | $319,254 | $999/mo | 80/100 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | 3.7% | $510,708 | $1,558/mo | 55/100 |
| 41 | Washington | 3.6% | $604,087 | $1,824/mo | 30/100 |
| 42 | Utah | 3.5% | $540,992 | $1,593/mo | 75/100 |
| 43 | Maine | 3.5% | $412,608 | $1,210/mo | 40/100 |
| 44 | Idaho | 3.5% | $477,506 | $1,384/mo | 75/100 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 3.4% | $504,792 | $1,418/mo | 30/100 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | 3.4% | $661,754 | $1,848/mo | 20/100 |
| 47 | Wyoming | 3.3% | $363,684 | $998/mo | 78/100 |
| 48 | California | 3.3% | $776,232 | $2,104/mo | 18/100 |
| 49 | Montana | 3.0% | $467,919 | $1,177/mo | 70/100 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 2.8% | $830,219 | $1,942/mo | 22/100 |
About this data: compiled by RehabRange from Zillow Research (ZHVI home values, ZORI rents), U.S. Census Bureau (ACS population and income, Building Permits Survey), Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment), FBI Crime Data Explorer, FEMA, and Tax Foundation. Last updated April 2026.
RehabRange is built by Mitchell Haughton, a practicing eastern-Connecticut real estate investor — the same screens he runs before walking a property. How we rank markets