The amount of income necessary to comfortably afford a studio apartment across the United States differs radically depending on the region, reflecting the diverse economic landscapes and living costs of American cities. To shed light on this variation, The Economist developed what it calls the “Carrie Bradshaw Index,” a creative measure that evaluates how affordable it is for a single renter to live independently in major metropolitan areas. Named after the fictional New Yorker from *Sex and the City* who famously inhabited a Manhattan apartment, this index ranks cities based on the income required to sustain solo living within the recommended guidelines of financial prudence.
In this framework, coastal urban centers—such as those clustered around the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards—emerge as the least attainable for individuals renting without roommates, primarily due to unrelentingly high rents and intense housing demand. In contrast, cities across the Sun Belt, the Midwest, and portions of the South tend to present far more attainable cost-of-living conditions for those seeking either autonomy or a quieter, more financially manageable existence.
While the practice of living with roommates continues to be a pragmatic way to curb monthly expenses and provides the social companionship of shared living arrangements, there are moments when privacy and personal space take precedence. Ultimately, one’s capacity to live alone without financial strain is largely dictated by the market conditions of the city one chooses to call home.
To craft this ranking, The Economist measured major U.S. cities according to its “Carrie Bradshaw Index,” which specifically quantifies how financially accessible solo apartment living is. The analysis starts with each city’s typical rent for a studio apartment—usually a small, self-contained living space with combined bedroom and living areas—and then determines the annual salary one would need in order to devote no more than 30% of gross income toward housing. This 30% threshold has long been considered a benchmark for responsible budgeting by economists and housing experts alike.
After identifying the income necessary to sustainably afford a studio, The Economist divided each city’s median wage by that affordability threshold to generate a numerical value known as the “Bradshaw score.” When a city’s score exceeds one, it suggests that the typical resident earns enough to afford a studio apartment without surpassing the 30% rent-to-income guideline. Conversely, a score below one implies that the average worker would need to allocate a disproportionate portion of their income just to maintain a single-person residence. In the most recent analysis, roughly 59 out of the surveyed 90-plus cities scored above one, meaning that about two-thirds of these metropolitan areas remain feasible for independent living. However, this figure represents a slight decline from last year’s 62 qualifying cities. All data originate from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the rental marketplace Zumper, ensuring both wage and rent figures are current and standardized.
Predictably, iconic coastal destinations such as New York City and Jersey City remain among the nation’s least affordable, with extraordinarily high costs driven by persistent demand, limited housing supply, and record-breaking low vacancy rates. As Lizzy Peet, a research reporter for *The Economist*, explained to *Business Insider*, “For the third year running, New York remains the most unaffordable city, squeezed by high demand and record low vacancy rates.” She further noted that several other cities making the top ten least-affordable list, such as Boston and Charleston, not only face severe housing shortages but have also seen surging populations that place additional pressure on existing infrastructure.
Meanwhile, numerous heartland cities, including Lincoln, Nebraska, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, sit comfortably among the top ten most affordable markets despite average or slightly below-average local wages. This highlights a key point: in many smaller markets, relatively modest earnings stretch much further than they do in major coastal hubs, reflecting a far more favorable rent-to-income ratio.
Now, let us look more closely at both extremes—the most and least affordable places in America to rent a studio apartment, as identified by *The Economist*’s index.
**The least affordable cities** present striking contrasts between wage levels and rent expectations. Ranked tenth is San Diego, California, with a Bradshaw score of 0.74. In order to afford the city’s average August rent of $1,920, one would need an annual salary of approximately $76,800—about $20,000 higher than the local median income. Close behind is Anaheim, California, with a score of 0.71 and an affordable wage calculation of $75,600 against similar rent levels near $1,890. Orlando, Florida, follows in eighth place, with an affordability threshold of $65,600 per year and a rent average of $1,640, exposing a gap of over $20,000 between typical local earnings and the required wage. Next is Santa Ana, California, also with a 0.69 score, where residents would need at least $77,600 annually to rent a modest studio without financial duress. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, likewise remains challenging, with a $72,000 target salary and a gap exceeding $24,000 relative to median income.
Boston, Massachusetts, ranks fifth among the least affordable, demanding a hypothetical salary of $100,000—roughly $35,000 more than what the city’s median worker earns—to meet the 30% rule, reflecting its steep rent of $2,500 for an average studio. In Charleston, South Carolina, fourth on the list, the gap also remains substantial: the required income of $74,000 surpasses typical pay levels by about $26,000. Jersey City, New Jersey, comes in third, exemplifying the metropolitan affordability crisis with an average studio rent of $2,530 and a corresponding affordable wage of $101,200, exceeding the median by over $40,000.
Miami, Florida, ranks second, where escalating housing costs have pushed the affordable studio wage to $85,600 per year—nearly $38,000 higher than local median earnings—driven by both population growth and limited housing availability. Finally, New York City, long synonymous with high living costs, stands firmly at number one. With a Bradshaw score of just 0.40, the average renter would require an extraordinary income of roughly $151,600 per year to afford a studio apartment costing around $3,790 a month, leaving a disparity of more than $90,000 compared to the city’s median wage.
On the other end of the spectrum, **the most affordable cities** offer a distinctly different picture of urban life and housing accessibility. Ranked tenth is Aurora, Colorado, where the Bradshaw score reaches 1.46. Here, the median wage surpasses the required $42,000 affordable studio income by over $19,000, and the median rent remains comparatively gentle at about $1,050 per month. Following Aurora is Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a Bradshaw score of 1.49; a local resident earning the median income makes about $15,000 more than necessary to afford a studio renting for $790. St. Louis, Missouri, ranks eighth with nearly identical affordability metrics and a rent average of $810 per month.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, occupies seventh place with a score of 1.51. The median wage there exceeds the affordable studio income ($30,000) by approximately $15,000, illustrating a healthy balance between pay and cost. Tucson, Arizona, reflects similar conditions in sixth place with a Bradshaw score of 1.55, an attainable income threshold near $30,000, and studio rents averaging $750. Akron, Ohio, ranks fifth, recording a 1.58 score that equates to a $17,000 buffer between median and affordable wages.
Fourth on the list, Des Moines, Iowa, demonstrates exceptional affordability with a score of 1.64, meaning residents typically earn almost $20,000 more than what is needed to comfortably rent a studio costing roughly $770 per month. In third place is Lincoln, Nebraska, with a 1.65 score and an affordable income requirement of $29,600—almost $19,000 less than the city’s median wage. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, achieves second place with a score of 1.71, where median salaries comfortably eclipse the $28,000 affordability threshold. Finally, the most affordable city in the entire ranking is Wichita, Kansas, boasting a remarkable Bradshaw score of 1.77. There, a modest studio can be rented for just $660 monthly, and the average wage exceeds the minimum affordability benchmark of $26,400 by more than $20,000, making independent living uniquely attainable.
Taken together, The Economist’s findings reveal the profound disparities that shape the American housing experience. While some regions continue to strain under tremendous market pressure and wage stagnation, others provide a rare refuge for affordable independence. The study underscores how geography alone can dictate whether single living is a financial burden or an achievable aspiration—offering a clear reminder that in the United States, the freedom to live alone still hinges heavily on where one chooses to plant roots.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/best-worst-us-cities-for-living-alone-studio-rent-2025-10
