The Best Cities for Renters in 2026

Key Findings:

• Austin, TX ranks #1 in Apartment List’s 2026 Best Cities for Renters ranking, in large part due to recent improvements in rental market affordability and availability, plus the strength of its local economy.
• Cities are evaluated on a variety of factors grouped into five broad categories: housing affordability, housing leverage, cost of living, economic opportunity, and lifestyle. Factors are calculated using a combination of Apartment List and public data sources.
• Rounding out the Top 10 Best Cities for Renters are: Salt Lake City, UT; Charleston, SC; Seattle, WA; Arlington, VA; Charlotte, NC; Raleigh, NC; Atlanta, GA; Phoenix, AZ; and Nashville, TN.

The Apartment List Best Cities for Renters Ranking

At the national level, the rental market has for several years provided renters unique opportunities for savings. As of September 2026, year-over-year rents are down 0.4% nationwide (and have been trending down since mid-2022), while vacancy rates are elevated and a large share of apartment communities are offering steep discounts on new leases. But any nationwide stats obscure a great deal of regional variation. Today conditions range from those in markets like Austin, TX where rents have fallen 20% since their recent peak, to those in markets like San Francisco, CA where rents have jumped 26% in just the past twelve months. Tradeoffs are everywhere, and only a small handful of cities can provide reasonably-priced housing for renters looking to maximize urban amenities and quality of life. This ranking highlights the ten cities that do it best.

Apartment List evaluated major cities across the United States on a number of factors relevant to today’s renters. Factors include housing affordability (rent prices and the direction they're trending), housing leverage (whether renters have optionality and room to negotiate), cost-of-living (as it pertains to non-housing expenses), economic opportunity (the strength of the local job market), and lifestyle (how well each city facilitates healthy living). Data are pulled from Apartment List’s proprietary market indicators, as well as reputable public data sources.

Use the interactive map below to view this year's Top 10, overall and for each category. Below we highlight the ten cities that rank best overall, and below that you find the complete data and a full methodology.

The Ten Best Cities for Renters in 2026

1. Austin, TX

Austin is a big, productive city where renters hold the cards. Despite being one of Texas’s most popular cities, availability and leverage are Austin’s biggest strengths, making it presently the #1 best city in the nation for renters. Renters searching in Austin will find a plethora of opportunities for a good deal. The city’s apartment vacancy rate stands at 9.0%, significantly higher than the national average (6.8%) and for years consistently one of the highest in the nation. This means landlords are dropping prices and offering discounts in an effort to attract new renters. Rents are down 2.3% over the past year and down more than 20% since the market peaked in 2022. On top of that, over half of all apartments are offering more than a month of free rent on new leases. Coupled with strong local economy – Austin ranks #1 for economic opportunity, with low unemployment (3.3%), steady job growth (+7%), and solid household income ($70,155) – renters today don’t face the level of cost burden that is common in other popular cities.

2. Salt Lake City, UT

Ranking a close second behind Austin is Salt Lake City, the second best city for renters. Today the rental market in Salt Lake City is a bit softer than Austin, with lower median rent ($1,252 in September 2026), steeper year-over-year rent declines (-3.2%), a higher apartment vacancy rate (10.8%), and a higher concession rate (61.6%). But these advantages are offset by weaker incomes that keeps renters under a bit of financial stress. Median renter household income is just $53,821, the lowest among the 10 cities at the top of our ranking. Renters do benefit from below-average cost-of-living on other non-housing expenses like groceries and healthcare. Pleasant weather days, with mild temperatures and no precipitation, are relatively scarce, but the city is popular for winter sports and attracts outdoor enthusiasts, so the weather is just a small drawback for many.

3. Charleston, SC

Unlike Austin and Salt Lake City, the rental market in Charleston, SC is hot. Rents are up 2.9% over the past year, and the vacancy rate stands at just 6.5%, below the national average. Consequently, concessions are less popular (29.4%) and renters have less leverage in their search than other markets. The underlying reason here is demand: Charleston boasts a strong economy in a rapidly-growing state that attracts new residents quickly. Over the past three years, the city of just 160,000 people has added 6,500 jobs; that’s more new jobs than new residents, and the fastest employment growth among any other city in this Top 10 list. Now is a great time for renters looking to move to Charleston and ride the wave of economic growth. Once there, they will also find a highly-amenitized apartment stock, with a top-5 amenity score (3.7) meaning modern amenities like parking, in-unit laundry, dishwashers, and gym access are abundant. Charleston rewards renters who can afford a slightly higher price point than Austin or Salt Lake City, with a median rent of $1,708.

4. Seattle, WA

Seattle is expensive, but its strong job market offers incomes to match. Seattle’s median rent ($2,088) is about 50% above the national median ($1,388), and everyday costs also run high: healthcare is about 17% above the national average and miscellaneous goods and services run about 28% above. What keeps livability in check is incomes: with the fourth-highest median renter household income ($88,103), just 42.9% of renters in Seattle spend over 30% of their income on rent, the third-lowest rent burden rate among cities surveyed and well below the national average of 51.8%. Seattle’s rental market is also in an easing period, with negative year-over-year rent growth (-2.8%) thanks to a strong pipeline of new residential construction. And despite its rainy reputation, Seattle boasts a strong lifestyle score, with above-average number of pleasant weather days, nearly 1-in-5 renters commuting to work without driving, and just 11.7% of adults reporting fair or poor health. What renters pay in rent and expenses they get back in quality of life.

5. Arlington, VA

Across the Potomac from Washington, DC, Arlington is another high-rent, high-income, high-quality of life city. The local median rent ($2,610) is nearly double the national median, and third-highest among the cities evaluated in this report. Rents are edging up as well (+0.2% year-over-year), but paychecks match the price tag: median renter household income is $107,656, unemployment is just 2.9%, and only 39.1% of renters are cost-burdened. Renters who can afford to live in Arlington are treated to some of the most amenity-rich buildings in the country. Lifestyle indicators are also strong, but all of these perks lead to a highly-competitive rental market where the renter urgency rate (49.7%) is over five percentage points higher than any other city in our Top 10. Similar to Seattle, Arlington comes with legitimate cost challenges, but provides real economic and lifestyle benefits to those who can afford it.

6. Charlotte, NC

Charlotte is another fast-growing city whose housing stock has expanded rapidly over the past 5 years. As a result, renters searching there will find the soft market conditions that are prevalent in many fast-building markets: an elevated vacancy rate (9.4%), negative rent growth (-2.6% year-over-year), and 57% of properties offering a month or more of free rent. These give renters real bargaining power and ranks Charlotte second in the nation when it comes to Housing Leverage (behind just Salt Lake City) and seventh in the nation when it comes to Housing Affordability. Charlotte ranks middle-of-the-pack in the rest – Economic Opportunity, Cost of Living, and Lifestyle – including just 5.2% of renters who commute without driving. For renters who don’t mind the drive, the city offers a lot of leverage at a fair price.

7. Raleigh, NC

Raleigh pairs one of the nation’s strongest job markets with a housing market that is tilting in favor of renters. A growing city anchored by three major research universities, its economic opportunity score ranks fourth behind only Austin, Arlington, and Charleston. Its unemployment rate (3.3%) is one of the lowest in the country, while its job growth (+6.0%) is one of the highest. The vacancy rate (8.1%) sits above the national average, and rents have trended down 1.1% over the past year. That won’t give renters as much leverage as in cities like Austin or Charlotte, but there is still room to negotiate as 43.2% of properties are offering concessions. Livability is the only category where Raleigh ranks below-average, thanks in large part to its car-dependency (only 4.4% of renters commute to work without one). Fortunately, some of this is offset by some of the nation’s lowest transportation costs (more than 10% lower than the national average). Overall, Raleigh provides similar opportunities as its neighbor Charlotte, but with a slightly-tighter rental market.

8. Atlanta, GA

Atlanta’s strength is its balance; it isn’t the cheapest or softest market in this list, but it’s one of the more-affordable options for renters who are willing to negotiate. Despite rents being essentially flat year-over-year, and the vacancy rate sitting right at the national average, 47% of properties in Atlanta are offering a month or more of free rent. These are well-equipped buildings too; Atlanta has an amenity score of 3.6 that trails only Seattle, Charleston, and Arlington on this Top 10 list. And as a major economic center of the South, Atlanta has a solid unemployment rate (3.7%) and steady employment growth (+4.5% in the past three years) that offers many job opportunities to new residents. Outside of housing, cost-of-living is roughly in line with the national average, as is the renter cost burden rate. Atlanta’s Lifestyle score is brought down by traffic and summer humidity, for which the city is notorious. But nevertheless, it is a city that provides a bustling economy alongside southern hospitality, and a modern rental market with good deals for those willing to search.

9. Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix is an attractive option for renters who want to prioritize affordability without sacrificing big city amenities. The median rent in Phoenix is currently $1,388; not only is that 10% lower than the national median and the second-lowest in this Top 10 list (a hair above Salt Lake City), but rents are continuing to fall at a rate of -2.9% year-over-year. Apartment hunters will find a market that is competitive for landlords, not renters. 52% of properties are offering a month or more of free rent, and the renter urgency rate (36.8%) is lower than any other city in this Top 10. Maybe surprising is that the weather is also a big plus. Summers are intensely hot but winters are relatively temperate, giving Phoenix more pleasant-weather days than any other city in the Top 10. Average cost-of-living, a modest Economic Opportunity score, and the lowest general health score in this ranking are what keeps Phoenix from ascending to a higher rank, but for renters seeking a good deal in a major metropolitan area, Phoenix is a great option.

10. Nashville, TN

Soft market conditions have persisted in Nashville for several years, and today renters will find leverage in an elevated vacancy rate (8.1%), falling rents (-2.3% year-over-year), and nearly half of all properties offering a one-month-or-more discount on a new lease. But early indicators suggest that Nashville's rental market is starting to tighten, and its renter urgency rate (44%) is second-highest among Top 10 cities, behind Arlington. But for now, the market remains in a place where new renters can still find a good deal. Savings can also come from cost-of-living, particularly groceries which cost 4% lower than the national average and are cheaper in Nashville than any other city in the Top 10. Nashville is an important cultural center, with deep roots to the music industry, a vibrant nightlife scene, and a diverse array of neighborhoods that give renters many different lifestyle options to choose from. But keep in mind the city ranks second-lowest in terms of pleasant weather days (days that are both dry and temperate) and it is largely car-dependent, so unless you live immediately downtown it may not be the best choice for those who prioritize walkability.

Methodology

Apartment List’s Best Cities for Renters ranking evaluates 71 U.S. cities on 16 individual measures across five categories. Data is pulled from a combination of proprietary Apartment List models (bolded) as well as public data sources.

1. Housing Affordability

• Median rent: citywide median rent as of September 2026. Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates.
• Rent growth, year-over-year: how much each city’s median rent has increased or decreased in the past twelve months ending September 2026. Source: Apartment List Rent Estimates.
• Renter cost burden: the share of renter households in each city that spend over 30% of their income on housing costs. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2024 (5-yr estimates).

2. Housing Leverage

• Vacancy rate: the average apartment community vacancy rate as of September 2026. Source: Apartment List Vacancy Index.
• Amenity score: the average number of select high-value amenities offered by properties in each city in 2026. Amenities include parking, in-unit laundry, dishwasher, gym, and package receiving. Source: Apartment List platform.
• Concession rate: the share of properties in a city that are offering a discount worth at least 1 month of free rent on new leases, as of September 2026. Source: Apartment List Concession Rate.
• Renter urgency: the share of Apartment List users who are searching in the city with “high urgency” in 2026. Source: Apartment List platform.

3. Cost of Living

• The cost of non-housing expenses – groceries, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods and services – as of 2026 Q2. Source: The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), Cost of Living Index.

4. Economic Opportunity

• Renter income: the median renter household income in the city. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2024 (5-yr estimates).
• Job growth: the three-year percentage change in employment in the city. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), 2025.
• Unemployment: the city’s unemployment rate. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), 2025.

5. Lifestyle

• General health score: the age-adjusted share of adults self-reporting fair or poor health status. Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025.
• Walkability: the share of Apartment List users searching in the city in 2026 who plan to walk, bike, or take transit to work. Source: Apartment List platform.
• Weather: the 10-year mean number of annual pleasant weather days, defined as days with mild temperatures (never above 85 or below 40), zero rainfall, and no snow on the ground. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Historical Climatology Network daily, 2015-2024.

Each factor is rescaled from 0 to 100 across the 71 cities so that 100 is the best city on the measure and 0 is the worst. Each factor is also winsorized, meaning the three cities at the top and bottom have their values capped so that extreme outliers don’t stretch the factor’s scale.

Each category score is the simple average of its scaled factor scores. A city’s overall score is the weighted average of its five category scores, with Lifestyle accounting for one-third of the final score and the rest splitting the remaining two-thirds equally.

Best Cities For Renters Category Rankings

Best Cities For Renters Complete Data

View complete factor-level data for all cities included in this analysis: Best Cities for Renters Data (2026)

FAQs

What are the best cities for renters?

According to Apartment List, the best city for renters in 2026 is Austin, TX, followed by Salt Lake City, UT and Charleston, SC. The other cities that rank in Apartment List’s Top 10 are Seattle, WA; Arlington, VA; Charlotte, NC; Raleigh, NC; Atlanta, GA; Phoenix, AZ; and Nashville, TN.

What makes a city good for renters?

Renter-friendly cities offer a combination of affordable housing options, modest cost-of-living, strong local economies, and healthy lifestyle opportunities. At times when rental markets are expanding, renters in a city will gain leverage in the form of high vacancy rates and high concession rates.

Where do renters have the most leverage?

The three cities where renters have the most leverage in their housing search are Salt Lake City, UT; Charlotte, NC; and Miami, FL. These are highly-amenitized cities with high vacancy rates where property managers are offering steep discounts on new leases to attract new residents.

Which cities are the most affordable for renters?

Using a combination of factors – low rents, low rent growth, and low renter cost burden – the most affordable rental markets are Des Moines, IA; Austin, TX; and Salt Lake City, UT. But due to poor Housing Leverage, Economic Opportunity, and Lifestyle scores, Des Moines does not make it into Apartment List’s Best Cities for Renters Top 10.

Which cities provide the most economic opportunity for renters?

Using a combination of factors – renter incomes, employment growth, and unemployment rate – the highest economic opportunity scores belong to Austin, TX; Arlington, VA; and Charleston, SC.

Which cities offer renters the best lifestyle?

Weather and walkability are big factors here, and the cities that score highest on our Lifestyle category are San Francisco, CA; Oakland CA; and Washington DC. However, due to high housing costs and generally competitive rental markets, these cities do not make it into our Best Cities for Renters Top 10.