Income-Restricted Listings Hold 4.6% of Rentals

Apartments.com data shows income-restricted apartments made up 4.6% of listings across the 50 largest U.S. metro areas in the third quarter of 2026.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Apartments

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a row of small terraced apartment blocks, one block in warm ochre among muted slate blocks, suggesting a modest housing segment. — Income-restricted apartments made up 4.6% of active rental listings across the 50 largest U.S. metros in the third quarter of 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Income-restricted rentals, including public housing, housing vouchers and tax-credit properties, accounted for 4.6% of active listings across the 50 largest U.S. metros in the third quarter of 2026. Average income-restricted rent fell year over year in 13 of the 50 markets, compared with three for market-rate rent.

Why it matters

The data shows affordable housing options make up a small share of the rental market nationwide, while their rents remain well below market rates. The year-over-year declines in restricted rents in most markets suggest the affordable segment is shifting in ways that matter to renters with limited incomes.

Apartments.com's sample of more than 70,000 active listings found 4.6% were income-restricted in the third quarter of 2026, with average restricted rent at $1,448 per month versus $1,756 for market-rate units. Detroit had the lowest average restricted rent at $988 per month, and the extraction does not say how the sample compares to total national rental stock.

The players

Apartments.com

Apartments.com is a major online rental listing platform that publishes market data drawn from its inventory of apartment listings.

The details

Washington, D.C. had the most available income-restricted units at 227, while San Antonio, Texas had the highest share at 12.4% of its listings. Austin followed at 11.7%, and Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia each had 10%, compared with 4.2% in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Third quarter 2026: Apartments.com measured 4.6% of listings as income-restricted across the 50 largest metros.
Year over year: Average income-restricted rent declined in 13 of the 50 markets.

Market Landscape

Apartments.com's third-quarter 2026 snapshot of the 50 largest metros gives a current baseline for how much of the rental supply is income-restricted. Its year-over-year comparison shows restricted rents falling in more markets than market-rate rents did.

Renters seeking income-restricted units can find them in listings on rental platforms, though availability varies widely by metro. Detroit's lower restricted rents and Washington, D.C.'s larger pool of restricted units show that options differ considerably depending on where one searches.

The takeaway

Renters who qualify for income-restricted housing should check local listings in their metro, since availability and rent levels differ sharply from one city to another. Comparing restricted rents against market-rate listings can help clarify which options fit a given budget.