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Mapped: Where Housing Takes the Biggest Share of Income

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Mapped: Where Housing Takes the Biggest Share of Income

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Key Takeaways

  • In Hawaii, housing consumes 50% of median household income, the highest in the U.S.
  • Coastal states dominate the top ranks, with California at 43% and several others above 30%.
  • Midwestern states remain the most affordable, with Iowa at just 17%.

In some parts of the U.S., housing takes up as much as half of a household’s income.

This map shows how housing costs—including rent, mortgages, and energy—compare to median household income across all 50 states in 2026. The gap is striking: coastal states face some of the highest cost burdens, while much of the Midwest remains far more affordable.

Data comes from WalletHub as of March 2026, which analyzed housing expenses relative to income to rank states from most to least affordable.

Coastal States Face the Greatest Housing Burden

Hawaii stands out dramatically. The typical household spends about one out of every two dollars on housing alone, far above any other state.

California follows at 43%, highlighting persistent affordability challenges driven by high demand and limited housing supply. Several West Coast states, including Oregon and Washington, also rank in the top five. These high shares reflect limited supply, strong demand, and geographic constraints that push prices higher.

The data table below shows each state’s share of median income spent on housing in 2026:

Rank State Housing Costs as % of Median Monthly Household Income
1 Hawaii 50.02%
2 California 43.00%
3 Massachusetts 33.67%
4 Oregon 33.56%
5 Washington 32.97%
6 Colorado 32.58%
7 Nevada 32.36%
8 Idaho 30.88%
9 Montana 30.47%
10 New York 30.41%
11 Utah 30.01%
12 Arizona 29.97%
13 Florida 29.16%
14 Rhode Island 28.77%
15 Maine 26.60%
16 New Jersey 26.13%
17 Delaware 25.42%
18 Vermont 25.12%
19 Virginia 24.95%
20 Wyoming 24.91%
21 Connecticut 24.89%
22 Tennessee 24.87%
23 New Hampshire 24.68%
24 North Carolina 24.35%
25 Alaska 24.21%
26 Maryland 24.00%
27 Georgia 23.87%
28 New Mexico 23.72%
29 South Carolina 23.51%
30 Texas 22.63%
31 Minnesota 22.41%
32 Louisiana 21.90%
33 Alabama 21.63%
34 Wisconsin 21.50%
35 South Dakota 21.18%
36 Pennsylvania 21.00%
37 Missouri 20.68%
38 Michigan 20.39%
39 Oklahoma 20.36%
40 North Dakota 20.36%
41 Kentucky 20.34%
42 Mississippi 20.13%
43 Arkansas 19.93%
44 Indiana 19.70%
45 Illinois 19.70%
46 Ohio 19.68%
47 Nebraska 19.34%
48 Kansas 18.64%
49 West Virginia 18.39%
50 Iowa 17.26%

A large group of states falls within the 25% to 30% range, including Florida, Virginia, and New Jersey. These markets are often seen as relatively balanced but still strained. Population growth, especially in Sun Belt states, has increased demand and pushed housing costs upward.

This middle tier is where much of the U.S. now sits: not the most expensive, but no longer clearly affordable. As housing costs rise faster than incomes in many of these states, more households are being pushed closer to the 30% threshold often used to define “cost burdened.”

Midwest and Southern U.S. States Offer Relative Affordability

At the other end of the spectrum, states like Iowa, West Virginia, and Kansas have the lowest housing cost shares.

Iowa households spend just 17% of their income on housing, nearly one-third of Hawaii’s level. Lower population density, more available land, and slower price growth contribute to this relative affordability.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Average Down Payment For A House By State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Source
United States