The most and least expensive places in the US for renters

Earnest investigated the cost of renting in the United States. It's no surprise that California is the most expensive state for renters (median rent: $1,901) or that West Virginia is the least expensive ($800). But when you look at the percentage of total income spent on rent, a different picture emerges. South Dakotans spend 24.8% of their income on rent, more than any other state. Californians, ranking 6th, spend 20.4%. People in Arkansas spend the lowest percentage of their income on rent (12.8%).

Looking at cities, Los Angeles has the highest median rent of the most populous 100 cities in the US ($2,600). I would have guess San Francisco, but it comes in at number three ($2,333). The least expensive city is Toledo, Ohio ($550), which is one fifth the cost as Los Angeles. (Look at the houses you can rent in Toledo for $500 - $600 a month.)