U.S. home sales skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic – hitting a 15-year high of 6.1 million in 2021. The spike in demand, coupled with declining inventory, have put upward pressure on housing prices. Renters have not been spared, as housing has become one of the key drivers of surging U.S. inflation.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank, a single adult can expect to pay an estimated $11,026 on housing in 2022. This amount varies across the country, however, from state to state and city to city.Â
Using data from the EPI’s Family Budget Calculator, 24/7 Wall St. identified the metro area with the highest housing costs in every state. Metro areas in each state were ranked on 2022 estimates of housing and utility costs for a modest studio apartment.Â
It is important to note that four states – Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont – each have only one metro area. As a result, the metro area in these places ranks as having the highest housing costs by default only.
Among the metro areas on this list, housing costs for a single adult range from about $7,700 to $28,200, and in most cases they are over $1,000 higher than housing costs across the state as a whole. Higher housing costs in these places are often a reflection of what residents can afford. The majority of metro areas on this list have a higher median household income than the statewide median. Here is a look at the income needed to be middle class in each state.Â
Home values also tend to be higher in areas with high housing costs, and in most metro areas on this list, the median home value is above the comparable statewide median. Here is a look at the mortgage rate in America every year since 1972.Â
Click here to see the metro area with the highest housing costs in each stateÂ
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Alabama: Birmingham-Hoover
> Est. annual housing costs: $9,804 (Alabama: $7,476)
> Median household income: $59,185 (Alabama: $52,035)
> Homeownership rate: 69.2% (Alabama: 69.2%)
> Median home value: $171,400 (Alabama: $149,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 12
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Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
Alaska: Anchorage
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,524 (Alaska: $10,316)
> Median household income: $82,890 (Alaska: $77,790)
> Homeownership rate: 65.6% (Alaska: 64.8%)
> Median home value: $301,100 (Alaska: $275,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 2
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Source: frankix / iStock via Getty Images
Arizona: Flagstaff
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,312 (Arizona: $10,143)
> Median household income: $59,000 (Arizona: $61,529)
> Homeownership rate: 60.8% (Arizona: 65.3%)
> Median home value: $299,100 (Arizona: $242,000)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 7
Source: Michael Dean Shelton / iStock via Getty Images
Arkansas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,424 (Arkansas: $6,808)
> Median household income: $55,983 (Arkansas: $49,475)
> Homeownership rate: 63.9% (Arkansas: 65.8%)
> Median home value: $157,900 (Arkansas: $133,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 6
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Source: bluejayphoto / iStock via Getty Images
California: San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley
> Est. annual housing costs: $28,200 (California: $16,349)
> Median household income: $110,837 (California: $78,672)
> Homeownership rate: 55.0% (California: 55.3%)
> Median home value: $888,500 (California: $538,500)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 26
Source: beklaus / E+ via Getty Images
Colorado: Boulder
> Est. annual housing costs: $15,348 (Colorado: $12,463)
> Median household income: $87,476 (Colorado: $75,231)
> Homeownership rate: 63.6% (Colorado: 66.2%)
> Median home value: $539,100 (Colorado: $369,900)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 7
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Source: Jon Bilous / iStock via Getty Images
Connecticut: New Haven-Milford
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,660 (Connecticut: $11,547)
> Median household income: $71,370 (Connecticut: $79,855)
> Homeownership rate: 62.1% (Connecticut: 66.1%)
> Median home value: $252,300 (Connecticut: $279,700)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 4
Source: sframephoto / iStock via Getty Images
Delaware: Dover
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,536 (Delaware: $10,148)
> Median household income: $60,117 (Delaware: $69,110)
> Homeownership rate: 68.8% (Delaware: 71.4%)
> Median home value: $226,600 (Delaware: $258,300)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 1
*Because Dover is the only eligible metro in Delaware, it is the metro with the highest housing costs by default.
Source: Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
Florida: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,684 (Florida: $11,076)
> Median household income: $59,030 (Florida: $57,703)
> Homeownership rate: 59.8% (Florida: 66.2%)
> Median home value: $298,400 (Florida: $232,000)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 22
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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,192 (Georgia: $10,106)
> Median household income: $71,193 (Georgia: $61,224)
> Homeownership rate: 64.2% (Georgia: 64.0%)
> Median home value: $233,700 (Georgia: $190,200)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 14
Source: Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
Hawaii: Urban Honolulu
> Est. annual housing costs: $17,196 (Hawaii: $16,151)
> Median household income: $87,722 (Hawaii: $83,173)
> Homeownership rate: 57.5% (Hawaii: 60.3%)
> Median home value: $702,300 (Hawaii: $636,400)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 2
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Idaho: Boise City
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,196 (Idaho: $7,517)
> Median household income: $64,717 (Idaho: $58,915)
> Homeownership rate: 71.0% (Idaho: 70.8%)
> Median home value: $268,500 (Idaho: $235,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 5
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Source: RudyBalasko / Getty Images
Illinois: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,144 (Illinois: $10,427)
> Median household income: $74,621 (Illinois: $68,428)
> Homeownership rate: 64.8% (Illinois: 66.3%)
> Median home value: $247,400 (Illinois: $202,100)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 9
Source: TraceRouda / iStock via Getty Images
Indiana: Columbus
> Est. annual housing costs: $9,120 (Indiana: $7,294)
> Median household income: $66,978 (Indiana: $58,235)
> Homeownership rate: 70.9% (Indiana: 69.5%)
> Median home value: $163,400 (Indiana: $148,900)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 12
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Source: CRobertson / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Iowa: Ames
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,988 (Iowa: $6,816)
> Median household income: $60,442 (Iowa: $61,836)
> Homeownership rate: 59.7% (Iowa: 71.2%)
> Median home value: $179,700 (Iowa: $153,900)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 8
Source: Chaay_Tee / iStock via Getty Images
Kansas: Manhattan
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,580 (Kansas: $7,689)
> Median household income: $54,488 (Kansas: $61,091)
> Homeownership rate: 49.1% (Kansas: 66.2%)
> Median home value: $180,500 (Kansas: $157,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 4
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Kentucky: Bowling Green
> Est. annual housing costs: $7,872 (Kentucky: $6,892)
> Median household income: $51,591 (Kentucky: $52,238)
> Homeownership rate: 62.7% (Kentucky: 67.6%)
> Median home value: $161,500 (Kentucky: $147,100)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 5
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Source: CrackerClips / iStock via Getty Images
Louisiana: Baton Rouge
> Est. annual housing costs: $9,528 (Louisiana: $8,172)
> Median household income: $60,043 (Louisiana: $50,800)
> Homeownership rate: 69.7% (Louisiana: 66.6%)
> Median home value: $190,000 (Louisiana: $168,100)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 9
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Maine: Portland-South Portland
> Est. annual housing costs: $13,056 (Maine: $9,478)
> Median household income: $72,552 (Maine: $59,489)
> Homeownership rate: 72.1% (Maine: 72.9%)
> Median home value: $273,100 (Maine: $198,000)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 3
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Maryland: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
> Est. annual housing costs: $11,004 (Maryland: $13,489)
> Median household income: $83,811 (Maryland: $87,063)
> Homeownership rate: 66.6% (Maryland: 67.1%)
> Median home value: $307,200 (Maryland: $325,400)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 5
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton
> Est. annual housing costs: $20,904 (Massachusetts: $16,239)
> Median household income: $93,537 (Massachusetts: $84,385)
> Homeownership rate: 61.7% (Massachusetts: 62.5%)
> Median home value: $461,500 (Massachusetts: $398,800)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 5
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Michigan: Ann Arbor
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,348 (Michigan: $8,040)
> Median household income: $75,730 (Michigan: $59,234)
> Homeownership rate: 61.5% (Michigan: 71.7%)
> Median home value: $278,500 (Michigan: $162,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 14
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Source: Willard / Getty Images
Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,776 (Minnesota: $9,306)
> Median household income: $82,887 (Minnesota: $73,382)
> Homeownership rate: 70.4% (Minnesota: 71.9%)
> Median home value: $271,600 (Minnesota: $235,700)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 5
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Mississippi: Jackson
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,976 (Mississippi: $7,274)
> Median household income: $53,639 (Mississippi: $46,511)
> Homeownership rate: 67.6% (Mississippi: 68.8%)
> Median home value: $148,300 (Mississippi: $125,500)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 3
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Source: TriggerPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Missouri: Kansas City
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,772 (Missouri: $7,411)
> Median household income: $69,240 (Missouri: $57,290)
> Homeownership rate: 65.2% (Missouri: 67.1%)
> Median home value: $196,000 (Missouri: $163,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 8
Source: Jon Bilous / iStock via Getty Images
Montana: Missoula
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,220 (Montana: $7,639)
> Median household income: $56,247 (Montana: $56,539)
> Homeownership rate: 58.6% (Montana: 68.5%)
> Median home value: $302,200 (Montana: $244,900)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 3
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Nebraska: Omaha-Council Bluffs
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,340 (Nebraska: $7,311)
> Median household income: $69,439 (Nebraska: $63,015)
> Homeownership rate: 65.8% (Nebraska: 66.2%)
> Median home value: $181,200 (Nebraska: $164,000)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 2
Source: 4kodiak / iStock via Getty Images
Nevada: Reno
> Est. annual housing costs: $9,636 (Nevada: $9,212)
> Median household income: $68,214 (Nevada: $62,043)
> Homeownership rate: 58.2% (Nevada: 57.1%)
> Median home value: $359,500 (Nevada: $290,200)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 3
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,752 (New Hampshire: $10,550)
> Median household income: $82,099 (New Hampshire: $77,923)
> Homeownership rate: 65.7% (New Hampshire: 71.2%)
> Median home value: $287,900 (New Hampshire: $272,300)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 1
*Because Manchester-Nashua is the only eligible metro in New Hampshire, it is the metro with the highest housing costs by default.
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Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
New Jersey: Trenton-Princeton
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,180 (New Jersey: $13,895)
> Median household income: $83,306 (New Jersey: $85,245)
> Homeownership rate: 63.5% (New Jersey: 64.0%)
> Median home value: $290,100 (New Jersey: $343,500)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 4
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
New Mexico: Santa Fe
> Est. annual housing costs: $9,648 (New Mexico: $7,822)
> Median household income: $60,668 (New Mexico: $51,243)
> Homeownership rate: 71.2% (New Mexico: 68.0%)
> Median home value: $294,800 (New Mexico: $175,700)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 4
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Source: TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images
New York: New York-Newark-Jersey City
> Est. annual housing costs: $21,120 (New York: $15,849)
> Median household income: $81,951 (New York: $71,117)
> Homeownership rate: 51.6% (New York: 54.1%)
> Median home value: $465,400 (New York: $325,000)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 13
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
North Carolina: Asheville
> Est. annual housing costs: $13,152 (North Carolina: $9,297)
> Median household income: $54,992 (North Carolina: $56,642)
> Homeownership rate: 68.0% (North Carolina: 65.7%)
> Median home value: $232,400 (North Carolina: $182,100)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 14
Source: Nathan Livedalen / iStock via Getty Images
North Dakota: Bismarck
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,580 (North Dakota: $7,561)
> Median household income: $72,886 (North Dakota: $65,315)
> Homeownership rate: 70.4% (North Dakota: 62.5%)
> Median home value: $254,900 (North Dakota: $199,900)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 3
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Ohio: Columbus
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,604 (Ohio: $7,149)
> Median household income: $66,715 (Ohio: $58,116)
> Homeownership rate: 61.8% (Ohio: 66.3%)
> Median home value: $195,900 (Ohio: $151,400)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 11
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,460 (Oklahoma: $7,422)
> Median household income: $60,476 (Oklahoma: $53,840)
> Homeownership rate: 64.4% (Oklahoma: 66.1%)
> Median home value: $162,600 (Oklahoma: $142,400)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 4
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Source: kuriputosu / iStock via Getty Images
Oregon: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
> Est. annual housing costs: $14,940 (Oregon: $11,834)
> Median household income: $77,511 (Oregon: $65,667)
> Homeownership rate: 62.3% (Oregon: 62.8%)
> Median home value: $392,000 (Oregon: $336,700)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 8
Source: Joecho-16 / iStock via Getty Images
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,800 (Pennsylvania: $8,935)
> Median household income: $74,825 (Pennsylvania: $63,627)
> Homeownership rate: 67.2% (Pennsylvania: 69.0%)
> Median home value: $259,500 (Pennsylvania: $187,500)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 17
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,176 (Rhode Island: $10,672)
> Median household income: $70,676 (Rhode Island: $70,305)
> Homeownership rate: 62.0% (Rhode Island: 61.6%)
> Median home value: $290,500 (Rhode Island: $276,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 1
*Because Providence-Warwick is the only eligible metro in Rhode Island, it is the metro with the highest housing costs by default.
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Source: skiserge1 / iStock via Getty Images
South Carolina: Charleston-North Charleston
> Est. annual housing costs: $12,000 (South Carolina: $8,930)
> Median household income: $65,894 (South Carolina: $54,864)
> Homeownership rate: 66.8% (South Carolina: 70.1%)
> Median home value: $249,800 (South Carolina: $170,100)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 7
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
> Est. annual housing costs: $7,704 (South Dakota: $6,806)
> Median household income: $67,713 (South Dakota: $59,896)
> Homeownership rate: 66.2% (South Dakota: 68.0%)
> Median home value: $208,400 (South Dakota: $174,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 2
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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Tennessee: Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin
> Est. annual housing costs: $11,976 (Tennessee: $8,412)
> Median household income: $68,406 (Tennessee: $54,833)
> Homeownership rate: 65.6% (Tennessee: 66.5%)
> Median home value: $262,900 (Tennessee: $177,600)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 10
Source: Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images
Texas: Midland
> Est. annual housing costs: $13,452 (Texas: $10,028)
> Median household income: $82,768 (Texas: $63,826)
> Homeownership rate: 66.8% (Texas: 62.3%)
> Median home value: $231,100 (Texas: $187,200)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 25
Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
Utah: Salt Lake City
> Est. annual housing costs: $9,948 (Utah: $9,015)
> Median household income: $77,102 (Utah: $74,197)
> Homeownership rate: 68.2% (Utah: 70.5%)
> Median home value: $329,200 (Utah: $305,400)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 5
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Source: vermontalm / iStock via Getty Images
Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington
> Est. annual housing costs: $13,092 (Vermont: $10,130)
> Median household income: $73,447 (Vermont: $63,477)
> Homeownership rate: 66.8% (Vermont: 71.3%)
> Median home value: $285,200 (Vermont: $230,900)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 1
*Because Burlington-South Burlington is the only eligible metro in Vermont, it is the metro with the highest housing costs by default.
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
Virginia: Richmond
> Est. annual housing costs: $11,916 (Virginia: $13,125)
> Median household income: $71,223 (Virginia: $76,398)
> Homeownership rate: 66.6% (Virginia: 66.7%)
> Median home value: $247,500 (Virginia: $282,800)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 9
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Source: roman_slavik / iStock via Getty Images
Washington: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
> Est. annual housing costs: $18,276 (Washington: $13,473)
> Median household income: $90,790 (Washington: $77,006)
> Homeownership rate: 60.2% (Washington: 63.3%)
> Median home value: $471,900 (Washington: $366,800)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 10
Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
West Virginia: Morgantown
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,532 (West Virginia: $6,969)
> Median household income: $53,681 (West Virginia: $48,037)
> Homeownership rate: 63.6% (West Virginia: 73.7%)
> Median home value: $181,600 (West Virginia: $123,200)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 6
Source: marchello74 / iStock via Getty Images
Wisconsin: Madison
> Est. annual housing costs: $10,668 (Wisconsin: $7,624)
> Median household income: $73,807 (Wisconsin: $63,293)
> Homeownership rate: 61.8% (Wisconsin: 67.1%)
> Median home value: $260,600 (Wisconsin: $189,200)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 12
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
Wyoming: Cheyenne
> Est. annual housing costs: $8,304 (Wyoming: $7,858)
> Median household income: $69,369 (Wyoming: $65,304)
> Homeownership rate: 72.6% (Wyoming: 71.0%)
> Median home value: $239,900 (Wyoming: $228,000)
> No. of metros considered in ranking: 2
Methodology
To determine the metro area in each state where single people pay the most for housing, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on housing costs from the Economic Policy Institute’s 2022 Family Budget Calculator.
In the Family Budget Calculator, the EPI estimates the housing costs for families to maintain a modest yet adequate standard of living. The budgets are created for 10 family types for U.S. counties and metro areas. We used estimates for a single person with no children. For this family type, the EPI assumes the single person is employed and files federal income taxes as the head of household.
State-level housing cost estimates are aggregated from the county level using five-year estimates of total households from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey.
We used the 384 metropolitan statistical areas as delineated by the United States Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau as our definition of metros.
To find the metro with the highest housing cost in each state, metros in each state were ranked based on the EPI’s annual housing cost estimates. Ties were broken with five-year estimates of median gross rent from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey.Â
Additional information on median household income, homeownership rate, and median home value are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey. Because the Census Bureau didn’t release one-year estimates for 2020 due to data collection issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all ACS data are five-year estimates.
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