The personal-finance website WalletHub has conducted a comprehensive study to determine 2025’s best and worst places to rent in America, providing valuable insights for prospective renters. With rental prices experiencing a 5.1% year-over-year increase, the study compares over 180 U.S. cities across 21 key indicators, including rental affordability, cost of living, and job availability.
Leading the list of best cities for renters is Overland Park, Kansas, followed by Scottsdale and Chandler, Arizona. These cities stand out for their rental affordability and quality of life. On the other end of the spectrum, Huntington, West Virginia, and San Bernardino, California, are among the worst cities for renters, primarily due to high rental costs and lower quality of life indicators.
The study reveals significant disparities between the best and worst cities. For instance, Bismarck, North Dakota, boasts the highest rental affordability, with median annual gross rent accounting for just 15.34% of median annual household income. In contrast, Hialeah, Florida, has the lowest affordability, with rents consuming 35.22% of household income. Similarly, Charleston, West Virginia, has the highest rental vacancy rate, which is 10.4 times higher than in South Burlington, Vermont, the city with the lowest vacancy rate.
Other notable findings include Newark, New Jersey, having the highest share of renter-occupied housing units, and Brownsville, Texas, offering the lowest cost of living. The study also highlights safety concerns, with Warwick, Rhode Island, reporting the fewest violent crimes per 1,000 residents, a stark contrast to Oakland, California, which has the highest rate.
This WalletHub study serves as a critical resource for renters navigating the competitive housing market, emphasizing the importance of considering affordability, safety, and employment opportunities when choosing a place to live.
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