Market Insights

Minneapolis skyline at sunset with tall buildings, lights, and the waterfront.

May Rental Activity Report: Minneapolis Makes Swift Return to Top Spot, South Prevails in Top 30

Minneapolis returns as the most in-demand city for renters — its fourth time taking the lead in 2024. The South…

interior of an apartment with a sofa, armchairs and a coffee table

Average Apartment Size Rebounds Nationally as More 2- & 3-Bedroom Rentals Are Built

The average apartment size in the U.S. increased by 27 square feet from the previous year, reaching 916 square feet….

Aerial view of Overland Park, KS, a suburb of Kansas City

Rental Activity Report: Overland Park, KS, Boldly Edges Out Minneapolis for Top Spot After Stunning Climb

Overland Park, KS, dethrones Minneapolis as most sought-after spot by renters in our April rental activity report. West & South…

Tall vintage buildings from adaptive reuse projects and blue sky

Adaptive Reuse Surges Again With 151K Upcoming Units; Hotel Conversions Overtake Offices in 2023

Adaptive reuse projects are on the rise again with 17.6% more apartments converted from outdated buildings in 2023 compared to…

a group of Gen Zers

Gen Z by Age 30: Renting Becomes the Go-To Housing Option With a Total Cost of $145,000

Generation Z is emerging as the most diverse and potentially the best-educated group in American history, setting them up to…

view of downtown Minneapolis during summer

March Rental Activity Report: Minneapolis Leads the Chart; Alabama City Makes Bold Entry Into Top 10

Minneapolis is renters’ first pick for apartment-hunting for the fourth month in a row.   Overland Park, KS, overtakes Atlanta for…

suburban housing in neighborhood of build to rent homes

The Build-to-Rent Housing Boom: New Single-Family Rentals Reach All-Time High, With Another 45,000 on the Way

Build-to-rent homes are having their most successful year on record: A total of 27,500 houses for rent were completed last…

construction site in miami housing potential

Unlocking Miami-Dade’s Housing Potential: Existing Vacant Land Could Provide Affordable Housing for 192,000 Renters

Miami-Dade County is dealing with an affordable housing challenge: Through a combination of nationwide rising housing costs and a development…

february rental activity report

February Rental Activity Report: Minneapolis Is the Most Coveted City, Western Cities Dominate the Top 30

Minneapolis is the most sought-after city by renters for the third consecutive month. Atlanta and Queens, NY, are neck and…

Downtown Milwaukee WI skyline with apartment buildings

America’s Hottest Rental Markets at the Start of 2024: Miami Holds Leading Spot Amid Rising Competition in the Midwest

Key takeaways: The national competitivity score stands at 73.4 out of 100 in early 2024, with vacant apartments finding occupants…

view of silicon valley buildings and landscape from atop mission peak hill

Top Renting Sweet Spots in the U.S.: Where Your Income Goes the Furthest

Renters can get the most out of their income in Silicon Valley’s Sunnyvale, where the highest median wages in the…

cityscape at sunset, featuring sleek adaptive reuse building

From Boardrooms to Bedrooms: A Record 55K Office-to-Apartment Conversions Expected in Major Cities

From 2021 to 2024, the number of apartments scheduled for conversion from old office spaces increased from 12,100 to 55,300….

best college towns in the u.s.

Beyond the Classroom: 2024’s Top College Towns Where Good Life Meets Academia

Bozeman, MT, home of Montana State University, ranks first in our list of best college towns in the U.S.  Western…

january rental activity report

January Rental Activity Report: Minneapolis Leads as the Most Sought-After City, West Rivals Midwest for Top Spots

RentCafe’s January rental activity report shows Minneapolis stays in the lead as the most sought-after city by renters at the…

best places to rent

Rental Activity Report: Atlanta Is Top Market to Watch in 2024, Midwest Most Popular Region for Renting

Our rental activity report shows Atlanta is the top city for renters to watch in 2024 after attracting the highest…

2023 review of the most impactful reports on RentCafe.com

2023 in Review: Top 10 Reports by RentCafe.com

In 2023, the real estate market has undergone significant transformations, marked by evolving trends and consumer preferences. To help readers…

Hottest rental markets in the U.S. in 2023.

2023 Year-End Report: Miami Tops U.S. Hottest Rental Markets, but the Midwest Heats Up the Competition

The Midwest was the most competitive region for renting in 2023 with three of its markets making the top five…

apartment space for $1700

Location vs. Space: How Much Does the National Average Rent of $1,700 Stretch in Apartment Size by Zip Code?

In the world of renting, there’s a delicate balance between space and location, as represented best in renters’ eternal dilemma:…

rental activity report

November Rental Activity Report: Minneapolis Is Most In-Demand City, Two California Destinations Join the List

Minneapolis took the lead for the first time after six months in our ranking of the most in-demand cities for…

multigenerational living

Multigenerational Living: 1 in 5 Millennials & Two-Thirds of Gen Z Struggle to Leave the Nest

20% of Millennials and 68% of Gen Z-ers still live with other family members, taking longer to leave home compared…

october rental activity report

October Rental Activity Report: Queens Takes Top Spot, Midwest Is Most Popular Region

New York City borough Queens is October’s most sought-after location by U.S. renters in our October rental activity report. Elsewhere…

fastest growing zip codes in u.s.

Top Zip Codes Powering the New Apartment Surge: DC’s 20002 Spearheads the Trend

U.S. cities are buzzing with new apartment buildings — more than we’ve seen in decades. So, if you’ve noticed more…

renting an apartment alone

16.7 Million Americans Are Renting Alone; Salt Lake City Saw the Highest Surge

Renting is a common housing arrangement for many Americans, but not all renters like sharing their space with other people….

september rental activity report

September Rental Activity Report: Arlington, VA, Takes the Lead as Most Sought-After City, Queens Secures 3rd Spot

Arlington, VA, is the most in-demand city for renters in our September rental activity report, making the list for the…

Downtown Milwaukee, WI, skyline featuring a mix of historic and modern buildings under a partly cloudy sky.

Best Rental Markets in the U.S.: Competition for Apartments Intensifies in Midwest This Rental Season, but Miami Holds Onto 1st Place

Miami was the most competitive rental market during this summer’s peak moving season, but the Midwest was America’s hottest apartment…

Construction cranes tower over several high-rise buildings under development against a blue sky, showcasing the progress of a major apartment complex.

New Apartment Construction: 1 Million Units Built in 3 Years, Another Million to Be Added Until 2025

New apartment construction in the U.S. is experiencing its best years on record: The pandemic building boom brought 1.2 million…

single family rental market

Dreaming of Living in a House as a Renter? Here Are The Most Affordable Single-Family Rental Markets in the U.S.

In 20 markets across the nation, renters spent less than $1,700 to live in a single-family rental. The Midwest is…

best places for renter families

Looking For Your Family’s Forever City? The Best Places for Renter Families in 2023 Are in the South, With Plano, TX Ranking First

If you’re among the 68 million renters living with their family, you know that raising children is hard work. Add…

august rental activity report

August Rental Activity Report: Arlington, VA, Is Most In-Demand City, NYC Boroughs Climb Closer to the Top

Arlington, VA, is the most sought-after city by U.S. renters in our August Rental Activity Report, leading our top 30…

housing potential in phoenix

Unlocking Phoenix’s Housing Potential: Existing Vacant Land Could Hold Apartments for 93,000 Renters

Phoenix is one the nation’s fastest-growing cities, having welcomed more than 30,000 newcomers in the last three years, all needing…