According to a comprehensive new study by Seven Seas Worldwide, rent prices hit record highs across much of America in 2025, with major metros routinely charging $2,500 to $3,000 monthly for modest apartments. New York averaged $2,739, Massachusetts hit $2,837 and California demanded $2,587 for typical rental units. The affordability crisis pushed millions of Americans to reconsider where they lived, triggering one of the largest interstate migration patterns in decades.
But not every state participated in the rental price explosion. The study analyzed all 50 states using six key affordability metrics — including average rent, median home prices, utilities and relocation costs — to identify where Americans could still find genuinely affordable housing in 2026.
