Median Rent vs. Price Level by State
States with higher Price Level tend to have higher Median Rent.
Very strong link: a correlation of 0.94 across 51 states.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
Each dot in the chart is one of 51 states. The correlation between Price Level and Median Rent is 0.94, a very strong relationship: about 89% of the differences in Median Rent from place to place line up with Price Level. Ranked instead of measured, the link is 0.95.
The highest Median Rent is in California ($2,036), Hawaii ($1,971) and District of Columbia ($1,954); the lowest is in West Virginia ($872), South Dakota ($946) and Arkansas ($947). The median state has $1,234 for Median Rent and 97.1 for Price Level.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. Colorado, Nevada and California have a much higher Median Rent than their Price Level would predict, while Rhode Island, Maine and Illinois have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Price Level is from 2024 and Median Rent from 2024.
Highest Median Rent
| Place | Median Rent | Price Level |
|---|---|---|
| California | $2,036 | 110.7 |
| Hawaii | $1,971 | 110.0 |
| District of Columbia | $1,954 | 109.9 |
| Massachusetts | $1,762 | 105.8 |
| Colorado | $1,761 | 103.1 |
Lowest Median Rent
| Place | Median Rent | Price Level |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $872 | 89.5 |
| South Dakota | $946 | 88.6 |
| Arkansas | $947 | 86.9 |
| North Dakota | $954 | 89.0 |
| Mississippi | $954 | 87.0 |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Price Level
- Full ranking and sources for Median Rent