The 5 best cities in America for renters — and the 5 worst
Data on falling rent hides a more complicated picture: Renting is getting harder in some U.S. cities, but some metros make it relatively easy
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Rents are falling nationwide, but averages obscure a more complicated story.
New data from Realtor.com shows the decline is mostly happening in luxury units, and only in certain parts of the country.
“National rent declines have been remarkably persistent, but the distribution of that relief matters,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said. “Many renters shopping for more affordable homes may not feel much change because lower-priced rents have risen more since 2019 while the biggest markdowns have shown up at the high end.”
Realtor.com data shows the rental market in much of the Northeast and the Midwest is still tight, while prices have softened in the South and Southwest.
“Housing in 2025 wasn’t defined by a single national narrative,” Hale said. “Some markets told the regional story almost perfectly, while others consistently defied it.”
And some metro areas still remain much more affordable than others. Realtor.com compiled a list of the five major metro areas where it’s easiest to afford the median rent, and the five where it’s hardest — relative to each city's median income.
Continue reading to see which metro areas made the list.
1 / 10
5th hardest: San Diego, California
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In the San Diego metro area, the median rent takes up 27.7% of residents' median monthly income.
2 / 10
4th hardest: Boston, Massachusetts
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In the Boston metro area, the median rent takes up 28% of residents' monthly income.
3 / 10
3rd hardest: Miami, Florida
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In the Miami metro area, the median rent takes up 31.2% of residents' monthly income.
4 / 10
2nd hardest: Los Angeles, California
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In the Los Angeles metro area, the median rent takes up 32.5% of residents' monthly income.
5 / 10
Hardest: New York City, New York
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In the New York City metro area, the median rent takes up 32.7% of residents' monthly income.
6 / 10
5th easiest: Minneapolis, Minnesota
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In the Minneapolis metro area, the median rent takes up 17.3% of residents' monthly income.
7 / 10
3rd easiest (TIE): Columbus, Ohio
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In the Columbus metro area, the median rent takes up 16.6% of residents' monthly income.
8 / 10
3rd easiest (TIE): Raleigh, North Carolina
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In the Raleigh metro area, the median rent takes up 16.6% of residents' monthly income.
9 / 10
2nd easiest: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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In the Oklahoma City metro area, the median rent takes up 15.4% of residents' monthly income.
10 / 10
Easiest: Austin, Texas
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In the Austin metro area, the median rent takes up 15.1% of residents' monthly income.