This infographic from Hemlane illustrates the sharp increase in U.S. rent delinquency rates, which rose from 9.33% in January 2026 to a peak of 11.09% by May 2026. It highlights a “Dual-Stress Corridor” across the Southeast and Rust Belt, where lower-cost states like West Virginia, Tennessee, and Mississippi face the highest delinquency rates, despite their relatively affordable average rents.
In contrast, higher-cost states such as California and Hawaii maintain lower delinquency rates, suggesting that lower rent prices no longer guarantee payment stability. The data also reveals that 79% of tenants struggling with rent are unable to recover from initial late payments, signaling a need for housing professionals to reassess traditional risk models.
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Co-founder and Vice President of SearchRank, responsible for many of the day to day operations of the company. She is also founder of The Arizona Builders' Zone, a construction / home improvement portal.
