Middle-income renters see sharp rise in rent-payment struggles, study finds

Data from the Urban Institute’s nationally representative Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, collected in December 2025, indicate that rent-payment challenges rose sharply for middle-income renters, jumping from 14.3% in 2024 to 21.6% in 2025. While lower-income households still reported the highest difficulty at 27.8%, the overall proportion of renters aged 18-64 who missed or delayed rent rose to 20% in 2025, up from 16.5% a year earlier.

The study attributes the increase to rising expenses across food, gasoline and utilities, which have eroded budget flexibility. Regional data show heightened strain in the Northeast, Midwest and South, with the South reaching 23.3% of renters reporting problems. Analysts warn that pressure on middle-income renters could cascade to low-income tenants as housing markets tighten, and note that policy solutions are complicated by inflation and limited affordable-housing supply.