The Best Cities in the US for Renters New research conducted by Living Cozy looked at the average rent for a two-bedroom property the average wage, the cost of living rating, the amount of green space and parks and rent control legislation. The study combined it into a single score that gave each factor an equal weighting and determined the best cities for renters in the United States.
The best US cities for renters:
Rank | City | State | Jobs per 1000 people | Average Monthly 2-BR Rent | City Land as Green Space % | % Residents Living 10 Mins Walk From A Park | Average Monthly Salary After Taxes | Cost of Living Index Score | Rent Control | Renting Score |
1 | Washington | DC | 58.57 | $3,658 | 21 | 98 | $5,776.94 | 85.23 | YES | 7.02 |
2 | San Francisco | CA | 40.75 | $5,209 | 21 | 100 | $8,073.06 | 94.32 | YES | 6.64 |
3 | Minneapolis | MN | 53.46 | $2,091 | 10 | 98 | $4,566.79 | 79.57 | YES | 6.61 |
4 | San Diego | CA | 27.21 | $3,204 | 21 | 81 | $5,489.17 | 76.72 | YES | 6.59 |
5 | San Jose | CA | 21.10 | $3,567 | 15 | 80 | $7,257.94 | 74.23 | YES | 6.49 |
6 | Portland | OR | 40.69 | $2,369 | 14 | 90 | $4,159.18 | 77.67 | YES | 6.42 |
7 | Sacramento | CA | 38.39 | $2,102 | 10 | 83 | $3,915.25 | 78.48 | YES | 6.01 |
8 | Albuquerque | NM | 31.76 | $1,053 | 17 | 90 | $3,602.19 | 63.88 | NO | 5.86 |
9 | Las Vegas | NV | 54.32 | $1,373 | 18 | 75 | $4,014.73 | 69.01 | NO | 5.76 |
10 | Long Beach | CA | 16.48 | $2,713 | 8 | 84 | $4,170.63 | 70.35 | YES | 5.75 |
Washington DC is the best city in the country for renters.It’s a very green place to live, with 21% of the city’s land area dedicated to parks and green spaces and as many as 98% of the city’s population live within a ten-minute walk of a park. It also boasts a high number of jobs for its size, with 58.57 job postings per 1,000 people. Renters are protected from sudden price hikes by rent control laws; however, living costs are higher than average and the rent for a two-bedroom property averages at $3,658 per month, which is out of many people’s price range.
The US cities where rent is lowest:
Rank | City | State | Average Monthly 2-BR Rent |
1 | Tulsa | OK | $895 |
2 | El Paso | TX | $1,020 |
3 | Tucson | AZ | $1,032 |
4 | Memphis | TN | $1,042 |
5 | Oklahoma City | OK | $1,044 |
6 | Albuquerque | NM | $1,053 |
7 | Omaha | NE | $1,166 |
8 | Louisville | KY | $1,197 |
9 | Fresno | CA | $1,217 |
10 | Raleigh | NC | $1,298 |
The city with the lowest average monthly rent in the study is Tulsa where a two-bedroom property will set you back approximately $895. This is the only city where the average rent is below $1,000, highlighting just how much of a bargain it is.
The Cities in the US With the Most Job Postings Per Capita
Rank | City | State | Population | # of Jobs | # of Jobs Per 1,000 People |
1 | Atlanta | GA | 506,811 | 56,714 | 111.90 |
2 | Tampa | FL | 399,700 | 36,511 | 91.35 |
3 | Miami | FL | 467,963 | 38,075 | 81.36 |
4 | Boston | MA | 692,600 | 41,419 | 59.80 |
5 | Washington | DC | 705,749 | 41,335 | 58.57 |
6 | Seattle | WA | 753,675 | 43,278 | 57.42 |
7 | Las Vegas | NV | 651,319 | 35,379 | 54.32 |
8 | Austin | TX | 978,908 | 53,152 | 54.30 |
9 | Minneapolis | MN | 429,606 | 22,968 | 53.46 |
10 | Charlotte | NC | 885,708 | 43,643 | 49.27 |
Further Findings:
- New Orleans has the highest proportion of its land area taken up by green spaces and parks.
- Boston and San Francisco are the two best cities for access to green spaces, with 100% of residents in each location living within a short 10-minute walk from their nearest park.
- The city with the highest average salary in the country is San Francisco.
- El Paso is the most affordable place to live.
You can view the research in full here: https://www.livingcozy.com/blog/us-rental-index
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Chloe Bennett
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