HMFA = HUD Metro Fair Market Rent (FMR) Area. This term indicates that a portion of the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) defined core-based statistical area is in the area to which the income limits and FMRs apply. HUD is required by OMB to alter the name of the metropolitan geographic entities it derives from the Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) when the geography is not the same as that established by theOMB. CBSA is a collective term meaning both metro and micro.
MSA = Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geographic entities defined by OMB for use by the federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing federal statistics. A metro area contains an urban core of 50,000 or more in population.
Citation formats
Hourly wages needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the U.S. 2025, by metro area
In 2025, households in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA needed an hourly wage of ** U.S. dollars to afford the rent of a two-bedroom apartment. It's no coincidence that some of the least affordable counties in the country are located in or around the San Francisco metro area.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ can support your business.
NLIHC. (July 9, 2025). Hourly wages needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the United States in 2025, by metropolitan area (in U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 27, 2026, from /statistics/203412/us-two-bedroom-housing-wage-by-metro-area/
NLIHC. "Hourly wages needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the United States in 2025, by metropolitan area (in U.S. dollars)." Chart. July 9, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 27, 2026. /statistics/203412/us-two-bedroom-housing-wage-by-metro-area/
NLIHC. (2025). Hourly wages needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the United States in 2025, by metropolitan area (in U.S. dollars). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 27, 2026. /statistics/203412/us-two-bedroom-housing-wage-by-metro-area/
NLIHC. "Hourly Wages Needed to Afford a Two-bedroom Apartment in The United States in 2025, by Metropolitan Area (in U.S. Dollars)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 9 Jul 2025, /statistics/203412/us-two-bedroom-housing-wage-by-metro-area/
NLIHC, Hourly wages needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the United States in 2025, by metropolitan area (in U.S. dollars) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/203412/us-two-bedroom-housing-wage-by-metro-area/ (last visited July 27, 2026)
Hourly wages needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the United States in 2025, by metropolitan area (in U.S. dollars) [Graph], NLIHC, July 9, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/203412/us-two-bedroom-housing-wage-by-metro-area/
