About one in five middle-income U.S. renters said they could not pay the full rent on time at least once during 2025, up from roughly 14% the prior year, according to new Urban Institute (opens in new tab) analysis of its Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey reported by NPR (opens in new tab) on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Middle-income households in the study were defined around 200–400% of the federal poverty line—about $31,300–$62,600 for a single adult or $53,300–$106,600 for a family of three. Nearly 28% of lower-income renters reported similar trouble in 2025, up gradually from about 24% in 2019. Even higher-income renters saw a smaller uptick, to around 7%. More than 10,000 adults participate in the annual survey.
Senior fellow Samantha Batko said the middle-income rise marks a meaningful shift beyond the long-documented burden on the lowest earners. Roughly one in five renters also reported trouble paying for gas, oil, or electricity. Homeowners’ ability to meet mortgage payments has remained comparatively steady for about seven years, the survey found. The South and Northeast showed the starkest increases in rent defaults.
Eviction filing rates tracked by Eviction Lab have stayed relatively steady recently, NPR (opens in new tab) noted, even as late-payment risk grows. Separately, NPR (opens in new tab) flagged a Trump administration proposed rule that could add time limits and work requirements to federal housing aid—an administrative proposal, not a finalized nationwide cut.