Rental Calculators: Make Decisions with Data
Free tools powered by Census and HUD data. Your inputs stay in your browser.
Featured Calculator
Rent Affordability Calculator
Enter your annual income to see what you can afford.
We use the 30% rule: rent at or below 30% of gross income is generally considered affordable. (Source: HUD)
All Calculators
Rent Affordability Calculator
Enter your income to see how much rent you can typically afford based on the 30% rule.
Did you know? The median US renter spends about 30.3% of household income on rent. (Source: Census ACS)
Cost of Living Calculator
Compare rent and income between two US cities to see how far your salary may go in a new location.
Did you know? Median rent in San Francisco is approximately 70% higher than the US median. (Source: Census ACS)
Rent vs Buy Calculator
Compare the monthly and cumulative cost of renting versus buying a home, and see a break-even estimate.
Did you know? Ten years of renting at the US median adds up to approximately $164,000 in total rent paid. (Source: Census ACS)
Salary Needed Calculator
Find the minimum annual salary needed to rent affordably in any US city based on the 30% rule.
Did you know? You would typically need about $119,600 per year to afford median rent in Sunnyvale, CA, one of the most expensive US cities in our dataset. (Source: Census ACS)
Why These Numbers Matter
Most renters do not calculate affordability before signing a lease. The 30% rule exists because spending more than 30% of gross income on rent is statistically correlated with financial stress, deferred savings, and higher risk of housing instability. (Source: HUD)
Running the numbers ahead of a move turns a gut-feel decision into a data-informed one: you can see exactly how rent compares to your income, how far your salary may go in another city, and what trade-offs come with moving for work or family. None of these calculators store your inputs; all math runs in your browser.
Popular Searches
Common rental questions, answered by the underlying data.
Data Sources
**Data Sources:**
Data is updated periodically. Census ACS data reflects 5-year estimates. HUD Fair Market Rents are updated annually. BLS rent CPI is updated monthly.
StayRentals is not a real estate agent, landlord, or property manager. This content is for educational and informational purposes only. Rent estimates are based on government data and may not reflect current market conditions. Housing laws vary by state and municipality. Consult a local tenant rights organization or attorney for advice specific to your situation.
Your inputs stay in your browser. We do not collect or store calculator data.
Sources: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rents, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index.
Data vintage: HUD FMR FY 2025, Census ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates, BLS CPI updated monthly. Government data may lag 1–2 years behind current market conditions.