Advocates coming up with more affordable ways for renters to secure deposits By: Scripps National and last updated 2021-04-21 13:51:04-04 Rent and affordability has been top of mind during this pandemic. With so many workers getting laid off, many are having to make tough decisions about where and how to live. When renting an apartment, those decisions can be even more difficult. On average, security deposits are about one to two months of rent, but half of all families in the U.S. have less than $400 set aside, according to the Federal Reserve. Paying a security deposit upfront is a major burden for some.