Affordable Housing by the Numbers
Real answers from official HUD data: how long the waits are, what households actually earn and pay, and how sharply the numbers differ from state to state.
Where the Wait Is Longest
Median months on the waiting list before admission, by state (median of PHAs reporting; states with 5+ reporting authorities)
At the other end, the shortest median waits are in South Dakota (~2 mo), Kansas (~5 mo), North Dakota (~5 mo), Nebraska (~5 mo), Wyoming (~6 mo). If your area's list is long, remember you can apply in any state.
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| State | Median months | PHAs reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 41 | 5 |
| Massachusetts | 32 | 91 |
| Hawaii | 28 | 6 |
| New Jersey | 28 | 86 |
| Connecticut | 24 | 38 |
| Michigan | 24 | 94 |
| California | 24 | 88 |
| Utah | 23 | 13 |
| Florida | 22 | 86 |
| Maryland | 22 | 27 |
| New York | 20 | 140 |
| New Hampshire | 19 | 16 |
Where You Can Earn the Most and Still Qualify
Median county Section 8 income limit for a family of 4 (50% AMI), FY2026
The lowest median limits are in Puerto Rico ($16,800), American Samoa ($28,050), Northern Mariana Islands ($28,100), Arkansas ($35,550), Mississippi ($36,000). A family earning $55,000 is over the limit in most of Puerto Rico but comfortably eligible across District of Columbia. Never assume you earn too much: check your county's limit.
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| State | Median 4-person limit |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $83,050 |
| New Jersey | $69,200 |
| Massachusetts | $68,975 |
| Hawaii | $67,950 |
| Maryland | $67,000 |
| Connecticut | $62,500 |
| New Hampshire | $58,800 |
| Alaska | $56,800 |
| Rhode Island | $56,050 |
| Delaware | $53,900 |
| North Dakota | $53,550 |
| Utah | $53,150 |
What a Voucher Covers, State by State
Median county Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom home
The most affordable states by this measure are Puerto Rico ($564), Mississippi ($842), North Dakota ($873), Kansas ($877), Alabama ($879). A voucher goes much further where rents are lower, which is one reason portability (taking your voucher to another area) matters.
View as table
| State | Median 2BR FMR |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $2,492 |
| District of Columbia | $2,246 |
| Massachusetts | $2,207 |
| New Jersey | $2,205 |
| Connecticut | $1,865 |
| New Hampshire | $1,855 |
| Maryland | $1,845 |
| Rhode Island | $1,729 |
| California | $1,687 |
| Guam | $1,589 |
| Florida | $1,471 |
| Delaware | $1,470 |
The Gap Between Minimum Wage and Rent
Hourly wage needed to afford a modest 2-bedroom rental vs the state minimum wage (NLIHC Out of Reach, 2025)
In New Hampshire, affording a modest 2-bedroom takes about 4.8x the minimum wage. This gap is why waiting lists exist: assistance demand far exceeds supply everywhere.
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| State | Min wage | 2BR housing wage |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | $35.08 |
| Texas | $7.25 | $29.64 |
| Georgia | $7.25 | $29.46 |
| Utah | $7.25 | $29.29 |
| Idaho | $7.25 | $27.83 |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $27.83 |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | $27.14 |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | $27.01 |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | $25.91 |
| Hawaii | $14.00 | $49.19 |
Statistics FAQs
Sources: HUD Picture of Subsidized Households 2025, HUD FY2026 Income Limits, HUD Fair Market Rents, NLIHC Out of Reach 2025. State figures are medians of county or PHA values, not population-weighted averages.