For those looking to live in a locale with an endless summer, it doesn't come cheap.
On average, renters in Orange County, Calif. pony up more than $1,650 a month for an average two-bedroom apartment, according to new data from Homes.com and ForRent.com. To cover housing costs alone, residents have to rake in about $32 an hour, no small feat in a wage-depressed economy.
Those in other major metropolitan areas aren't faring much better. Residents in parts of New Jersey and Washington, D.C. pay upwards of $1,200 a month on average for two-bedroom rentals. Workers in those cities have to make between $25 and almost $30 an hour to pay for their pricey pads.
But there are still deals to be had in great cities. Lansing and Grand Rapids, Mich. both boast a cost of living almost 20 percent below the national average, while still offering residents key big-city perks. To its credit, Grand Rapids has been called a city "on the edge of greatness" while Lansing is revered as one of the most environmentally friendly locations in the United States.
Here's a look at more cities around the country and what it costs to be a renter:
Source: Homes.com, ForRent.com
Meg Handley is a reporter for U.S. News & World Report. You can reach her at mhandley@usnews.com and follow her on Twitter at @mmhandley.
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