A new report shows that households across all income brackets are having trouble paying the rent each month, middle-income earners especially.

When you think of a middle-income household, you might presume that its members can comfortably afford to pay rent each month. 

After all, a new report from the Urban Institute defined middle-income as adults making between $31,300 and $62,600 for a single-person household or between $53,300 and $106,600 for a family of three — enough to cover the average rent payment of $1,771 for an apartment in the U.S. 

However, middle-income renters have recently experienced the highest increase in financial hardship compared to other groups, per the report. Close to 22% of these renters said they were unable to afford the full amount of rent when it was due at least once last year. That’s a notable increase from 2024, when only about 14% reported not being able to pay their rent at least once. 

“This increase among middle-income renters is a big and important shift that reflects overall challenges with affordability in the country,” Samantha Batko, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute and co-author of the report, recently told NPR. Despite some middle-income earners making over six-figure salaries, they are increasingly unable to afford rent. 

The report found that households from all income levels are facing affordability challenges. The research suggests that rent stress is no longer limited to the lowest-income households. More middle-income Americans are falling behind on monthly rent payments , putting them at greater risk of eviction.

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