The most expensive rental markets in America are not just in Manhattan and San Francisco. County-level data reveals high-rent pockets across the country — from resort communities in Colorado to energy boomtowns in North Dakota to coastal enclaves in Florida.
We ranked all US counties by median gross rent to find the 25 most expensive rental markets. These counties command premium rents because of location desirability, job concentration, housing scarcity, or a combination of all three.
The 25 Counties with the Highest Median Rent
Ranked by median gross rent from highest to lowest.
| Rank | County | State | Median Rent | Median Income | Income-to-Rent Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo County | California | $2,893/mo | $156,000 | 4.5x |
| 2 | Santa Clara County | California | $2,814/mo | $159,674 | 4.7x |
| 3 | Marin County | California | $2,584/mo | $142,785 | 4.6x |
| 4 | San Francisco County | California | $2,419/mo | $141,446 | 4.9x |
| 5 | Orange County | California | $2,352/mo | $113,702 | 4.0x |
| 6 | Contra Costa County | California | $2,322/mo | $125,727 | 4.5x |
| 7 | Alameda County | California | $2,318/mo | $126,240 | 4.5x |
| 8 | Loudoun County | Virginia | $2,317/mo | $178,707 | 6.4x |
| 9 | Arlington County | Virginia | $2,275/mo | $140,160 | 5.1x |
| 10 | Ventura County | California | $2,248/mo | $107,327 | 4.0x |
| 11 | Fairfax County | Virginia | $2,230/mo | $150,113 | 5.6x |
| 12 | Falls Church city | Virginia | $2,205/mo | $154,734 | 5.8x |
| 13 | Nassau County | New York | $2,195/mo | $143,408 | 5.4x |
| 14 | Suffolk County | New York | $2,190/mo | $128,329 | 4.9x |
| 15 | Manassas Park city | Virginia | $2,175/mo | $100,668 | 3.9x |
| 16 | Santa Cruz County | California | $2,172/mo | $109,266 | 4.2x |
| 17 | San Diego County | California | $2,154/mo | $102,285 | 4.0x |
| 18 | Napa County | California | $2,141/mo | $108,970 | 4.2x |
| 19 | New York County | New York | $2,132/mo | $104,553 | 4.1x |
| 20 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | $2,126/mo | $126,779 | 5.0x |
| 21 | Fairfax city | Virginia | $2,122/mo | $132,774 | 5.2x |
| 22 | Douglas County | Colorado | $2,095/mo | $145,737 | 5.8x |
| 23 | Sonoma County | California | $2,093/mo | $102,840 | 4.1x |
| 24 | Solano County | California | $2,088/mo | $99,994 | 4.0x |
| 25 | Broomfield County | Colorado | $2,074/mo | $121,025 | 4.9x |
High Rent and High Income Often Go Together
Most of the highest-rent counties also have above-average household incomes. The question is whether the income premium justifies the rent premium. In counties like Fairfax, Virginia and Nassau, New York, the ratio remains reasonable because salaries are commensurate. In resort and tourist counties, the ratio can be severe because local service workers earn modest wages while visitors and second-home owners drive up housing demand.
Methodology
All data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). Median gross rent is table B25064. Counties with suppressed or missing data were excluded.
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). All figures are estimates based on survey data and may not reflect current economic conditions.