Where rent is rising faster than incomes
The metros where the affordability squeeze tightened most since 2019.
By Muhammad Tahir · Updated 2026-06-15
When rent climbs faster than incomes, a metro grows harder to afford even as paychecks rise. Comparing ACS rent and median-income changes since 2019, these metros saw the widest gap — rent outrunning pay.
In Punta Gorda, FL, rent rose 83.2% while incomes grew 33.3% — a 49.9-point gap. Lower on the list, where the gap narrows or flips negative, incomes kept pace or pulled ahead.
| # | Metro | Rent change | Income change | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punta Gorda, FL | +83.2% | +33.3% | +49.9 pts |
| 2 | Burlington, NC | +53% | +12.8% | +40.2 pts |
| 3 | Hilton Head Island, SC | +63.2% | +24% | +39.2 pts |
| 4 | Sherman, TX | +63.6% | +25.7% | +37.9 pts |
| 5 | Gainesville, GA | +62.3% | +29% | +33.3 pts |
| 6 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | +63.4% | +32.7% | +30.7 pts |
| 7 | Ogden, UT | +54.4% | +24.2% | +30.2 pts |
| 8 | Chico, CA | +33% | +4.2% | +28.8 pts |
| 9 | St. George, UT | +65% | +36.8% | +28.2 pts |
| 10 | Ocala, FL | +57% | +29.9% | +27.1 pts |
| 11 | Merced, CA | +33.3% | +6.2% | +27.1 pts |
| 12 | Rochester, MN | +45.2% | +19.3% | +25.9 pts |
| 13 | Logan, UT | +56.8% | +32% | +24.8 pts |
| 14 | Appleton, WI | +45% | +20.7% | +24.3 pts |
| 15 | North Port, FL | +49.5% | +25.3% | +24.2 pts |
| 16 | Crestview, FL | +53.8% | +30.8% | +23.0 pts |
| 17 | Idaho Falls, ID | +57.5% | +34.8% | +22.7 pts |
| 18 | Lexington, KY | +40.7% | +18.1% | +22.6 pts |
| 19 | Providence, RI | +39.2% | +16.8% | +22.4 pts |
| 20 | Roanoke, VA | +42.3% | +20% | +22.3 pts |
| 21 | Durham, NC | +50% | +27.9% | +22.1 pts |
| 22 | Boise City, ID | +55.2% | +33.4% | +21.8 pts |
| 23 | Bakersfield, CA | +55.8% | +34.9% | +20.9 pts |
| 24 | Eau Claire, WI | +38.9% | +18% | +20.9 pts |
| 25 | Myrtle Beach, SC | +41% | +20.3% | +20.7 pts |
Nominal ACS changes since 2019; "gap" = rent change minus income change, in percentage points.
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