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A ‘For Rent’ sign is posted near a home on February 07, 2022 in Houston. A recent WalletHub analysis reveals the city has one of the largest rent burdens in Texas. (Brandon Bell\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n A ‘For Rent’ sign is posted near a home on February 07, 2022 in Houston. A recent WalletHub analysis reveals the city has one of the largest rent burdens in Texas. (Brandon Bell\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n
Despite early 2026 trends\u00a0showing a decline<\/a>\u00a0in prices, rent remains a major issue<\/a> for millions of Americans. The Federal Reserve\u2019s Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows rental costs have increased by more than 50%<\/a> in the past decade, along with a similar surge in home prices. Meanwhile, wage growth lags behind<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 pushing more people into the \u201crent-burdened household<\/a>\u201d classification.<\/p>\n While overall trends are consistent across the U.S., location influences rent affordability. In a\u00a0new analysis<\/a> by WalletHub, the median annual gross rent was compared with the median household income in over 180 cities.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the most affordable cities for renters, the median cost of rent is as low as 15% of the median income, compared to nearly 34% in the most expensive cities,\u201d\u00a0WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says. \u201cThis gives people in the least expensive cities a clear financial advantage; the money they save on rent could go toward their emergency fund or savings for future home ownership.\u201d<\/p>\n Where did your Texas city land regarding rent affordability? Here’s what the study found.<\/p>\n