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As home prices remain high nationwide, renting has become the new buying trend for many Americans. As October marks the transition from the peak rental season, RentCafe's October Rental Activity Report revealed which cities are seeing the most listing activity and attracting the most attention from apartment hunters.
The study found that the historic New York borough of Queens is the most in-demand location for renters in October. Listings in The Big Apple’s largest borough attracted the highest engagement from apartment hunters in October 2023, helping this historic urban hub climb two spots since last month.
The next three positions are occupied by midwestern cities. Kansas' Overland Park takes second place this month after jumping two spots closer to the top. Followed by Kansas City, MO, which is October’s third most sought-after city by renters. Minneapolis came in at #4, while Atlanta is the highest-ranking Southern city at #5, the same spot as last month.
Top 10 U.S. Cities With the Highest Rental Activity:
- Queens, NY
- Overland Park, KS
- Kansas City, MO
- Minneapolis
- Atlanta
- Bronx, NY
- Arlington, VA
- Cincinnati
- Buffalo, NY
- Knoxville, TN
The Midwest dominated October’s top 30 list of cities with the most rental activity, landing 12 entries in RentCafe's ranking, despite the South’s longer warm-weather rental season. The West comes next with seven cities, followed by the South with six destinations and the Northeast with five entries. Renters are looking for apartments to rent in places that offer a good balance between quality of life, job opportunities, and affordability.
Top 10 Cities for Rental Activity in October by Region:
- Overland Park, KS
- Kansas City, MO
- Minneapolis
- Cincinnati
- Columbus, OH
- Omaha, NE
- St. Paul, MN
- Cleveland
- Madison, WI
- Detroit
This helped cities like Knoxville, TN; Chandler, AZ; Columbus, OH; and Peoria, AZ, make remarkable climbs in the rankings, as major urban centers with a wide range of amenities remain appealing to renters. Apartment listings in popular metros like Boston and Detroit also attracted significant traffic this month, helping the cities rank higher and re-enter the top 30 list. Arlington, VA—previously the top city for rental activity during the last three months—dropped to #7, although it continues to attract interest from renters.
Midwest cities top renters' preferences, but Northeast locations gain more ground.
Cities in the Midwest remain among the most popular for renters in October, boasting more job opportunities and better affordability. However, Northeastern renter destinations are making gains as the region counts three cities in our top 10 for the first time.
The Midwest claimed 12 positions in the top 30 ranking, including the second, third, and fourth spots. Overland Park, KS, is the heartland’s highest-ranking city. Kansas City, MO, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati are also among the top 10 cities for rental activity in October. Detroit also jumped a whopping 31 places and returned to the top 30 at #28, managing the most significant climb among the region’s rental locations.
The West comes next with seven cities on the list, led by Portland, OR, coming in at #12. The City of Roses climbed one spot since last month and saw a 1% decline in available apartments for rent. The other Western locations in October’s top 30 are mostly suburban cities that offer easy access to transit and big-city amenities:
- Chandler, AZ (#13)
- Denver (#17)
- Tacoma, WA (#21
- Peoria, AZ (#23)
- Albuquerque, NM (#24)
- Aurora, CO (#27)
Aside from Atlanta occupying the fifth spot, the South claimed six additional entries in this month’s top 30 list. A total of five cities in the Northeast region are part of the top 30 ranking: In addition to Queens, NY, the Bronx is sixth and Buffalo, NY, is ninth, with major hubs Philadelphia and Boston at #20 and #25.
Demand for urban amenities is boosting major cities and nearby suburbs in rankings.
Wichita, KS, is one of the most desired locations for renters in the U.S. and, this month, it entered the top 30 at #29. Wichita listings attracted 80% more traffic than one year ago, while renters saved 64% more personalized searches. Research found that most people relocating to the area come from Dallas and Kansas City, MO.
Madison, WI, completes the list of Midwestern debuts at #22. Here, the number of favorited Madison apartments nearly quadrupled as available listings decreased by 26% due to increased rental demand for this location.
Mobile, AL, is the South’s only new entry this month at #26 after climbing 32 positions. Listings in this port city attracted 49% more views compared to last October as renters favorited 57% more apartments and saved 86% more personalized searches—this month’s third highest rise among all cities analyzed. Renters looking to move here mainly come from Chicago, New Orleans, and Atlanta, RentCafe data showed.
While relocating can be a hassle, renters have many options, they just may be a ways away from home.
To read the full report, including more data, charts, and methodology, click here.
