California Cities Have Highest Rents In Nation.

Irvine, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Fremont, Calif., recorded the highest median gross rents among large U.S. cities all at or above $1,200 a month according to a report based on Census 2000 released today by the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau. The only non- California city in the top high-rent tier was Stamford, Conn. (see Table 1, CLICK on ‘More Images’).

The national median gross rent was $602. Brownsville, Texas, and Erie, Pa., renters paid the lowest monthly rents at $405 and $424 a month, respectively (see Table 2, CLICK on ‘More Images’).

According to Housing Costs of Renters: 2000 [PDF], median gross rent in Hawaii ($779) surpassed that of all other states, just as it did in 1990. New Jersey ($751) was second and California ($747) was third.

Renters in California led the nation in the share of their incomes spenton rent 27.7 percent. Renters in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming spent the lowest share 23.4 percent or less.

For the first time in 50 years, the proportion of household income spent on rent decreased between decades, from 26.4 percent in 1990 to 25.5 percent in 2000. (See attached chart.) The decrease occurred in almost every state, with the largest declines widely scattered: Michigan in the Midwest; Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi in the South; and New
Hampshire in the Northeast.

Other highlights:

– Median monthly rents were lowest in West Virginia ($401), North Dakota ($412) and South Dakota ($426).

– Colorado, Idaho and Utah experienced increases of more than 20 percent in median gross rent between 1990 and 2000. Rates, adjusted for inflation, rose by 10 percent or more in another four states: Arizona, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

– Connecticut and Rhode Island were the only states posting double-digit percentage decreases in median gross rent, at around 11 percent.

– Single-race African-American householders and those with a householder classified as two or more races paid the highest
proportion of their income (27.6 percent) for rent. Single-race white householders paid the lowest (24.8 percent). Hispanic households were above the national average (27.0 percent).

– Rent was highest for single-family attached units ($688), which generally were townhouses and row houses. The median for one-family detached houses was $648.

The Census Bureau defines gross rent as the amount of rent, plus the estimated average monthly cost of fuel and utilities. The data are based on the sample of households responding to the long form. Nationally, about 1-in-6 housing units were included in the sample. Estimates in the report are subject to sampling and nonsampling error.

To view charts CLICK above on ‘More Images’.