This study investigates the relationship between rent burden and intergenerational economic mobility across U.S. counties. Using newly scraped rental data from Zillow (2014–2015) and demographic data from the Opportunity Atlas, the research shifts focus from absolute rent levels to a more precise measure of rent burden—the ratio of median rent to household income. Employing OLS regression, stratified models by birth cohort (1978 and 1992), non- linear modeling, interaction terms, and quantile regression, the study reveals that higher rent burdens are significantly associated with lower economic mobility, particularly among middle-income households. Stratified analyses indicate that the younger 1992 cohort faces a stronger negative impact from rent burden compared to the 1978 cohort, although gen- erational interaction effects are not statistically significant. The results also highlight that poverty rates and racial composition continue to exert significant constraints on mobility outcomes. Policy recommendations emphasize the expansion of affordable housing, regu- lation of institutional investors in the rental market, and integration of housing support with workforce development programs. By addressing the understudied impact of rent bur- den and enhancing methodological precision, this research contributes new insights into structural barriers limiting economic mobility across generations.