In this article
62% of renter households headed by someone under 25 paid at least 30% of income on rent and utilities in 2025. Among all renters, it was 52%.
Explore the data
| Group | Renter households paying 30% or more of household income on rent and utilities, by age of householder (2025) |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | 62% |
| 25 to 34 | 46% |
| 35 to 64 | 49% |
| 65 and older | 64% |
| All renters | 52% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25072, as of 2025 data, released October 2026.
How many young adults spend 30% or more of their income on rent?
About 6 in 10 renters under 25 do. The Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey (ACS) counts 4.3 million renter households headed by someone ages 15 to 24. Of the 4.0 million with a rent-to-income ratio the Census could compute, 2.5 million paid 30% or more of household income on gross rent, or 62%. The share was 46% for ages 25 to 34, 49% for ages 35 to 64 and 64% for ages 65 and older. Across all renter households, it was 52%.
How many young renters spend 35% or more?
In 2025, 53% of renter households under 25 spent 35% or more of their income on rent and utilities, about 2.1 million households. The share was 36% for ages 25 to 34, 40% for ages 35 to 64 and 54% for ages 65 and older. Across all renter households, it was 42%.
What counts as rent and income in this data?
The Census divides each household's monthly gross rent by its monthly household income. Gross rent is contract rent plus the average monthly cost of utilities and fuels when the renter pays them. Household income counts everyone in the home and is measured before taxes. Units with no cash rent, or households that reported no income or a loss, are marked "not computed" and are left out of the shares on this chart (ACS 2025 Subject Definitions).
Where does this data come from?
From table B25072, Age of Householder by Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income, in the Census Bureau's 2025 ACS 1-year estimates, released October 2026. The shares on this chart are computed from the published national counts. The Census groups households at exactly 30.0% with those above it, so these shares run slightly higher than "more than 30%" cost-burden counts. The Census reports by age of householder, not by generation.
What this means for you
Check your rent against take-home pay, not just the 30% line.
The Census measure divides rent by income before taxes, so the same rent takes a bigger share of the paycheck you actually spend. Run your rent against take-home pay before you sign or renew. How you stick with the plan depends on your Money Type: Strategist, Spender, Saver or Scrambler. The free quiz shows which first fix fits you.
Questions
In 2025, 62% of renter households headed by someone under 25 spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
52% of U.S. renter households with a computed rent-to-income ratio spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2025, about 22.5 million households.
No. The Census divides rent by household income before taxes, so the same rent takes a bigger share of take-home pay.
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Source and methods
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25072, as of 2025 data, released October 2026. Gross rent (rent plus utilities) as a share of pre-tax household income. Shares exclude units the Census marks "not computed". Chart and analysis by Priceless Tay.
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