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 neck for second place in our February rental activity report. 
• The West further strengthens its position as the favorite region for renters, narrowly outpacing the South.
• Little Rock, AR, skyrockets in popularity, jumping 90 positions to settle just outside the top 10.  

With the new year well underway, savvy renters are on the lookout for deals on their next place to call home. But which cities are standing out as hotspots for rental activity and attracting the most attention from apartment hunters?

Taking the lead in February, Minneapolis once again earns the title of the most coveted city among renters browsing RentCafe.com in search of apartments. Listings for apartments in Minneapolis have seen the highest level of website engagement, indicating sustained renter interest that carried over from the previous month. Following closely behind, Atlanta climbs one spot to secure the second position in the rankings. Next, Queens, NY, steps down one spot to third place, despite still seeing a high level of renter activity as users on RentCafe.com actively search for apartments within the borough.

Not to be outdone, Detroit holds onto fourth place this month, while Cleveland rounds out February’s top five, after climbing four positions since January. These cities are getting the most attention on RentCafe.com with renters generating high numbers of listing views as they mark properties as favorites and save customized searches, all while dealing with limited available listings.

That said, renter preferences for some particular regions have changed slightly in February: The West continues to lead in the top 30 with 10 entries, while the South is making strides by securing nine positions. The Midwest follows closely with eight cities and the Northeast holds steady with three spots.

For a deeper dive into the regional dynamics, take a look at the rankings in the January Rental Activity Report.

Notably, when looking at the rankings by region, it’s evident that the Midwest isn’t loosening its grip on the top five with Minneapolis at the helm, Detroit holding strong in fourth place and Cleveland sitting firmly in fifth spot. Outside of the top five, cities like Overland Park, KS (#6), and Philadelphia (#7) are drawing significant renter interest, as are Orlando, FL (#8); newcomer Spokane, WA (#9) and Washington, D.C. (#10).

Minneapolis is the most sought-after city for renters in February

1. Minneapolis

Securing the coveted top spot in our February rental activity report, views for apartments in Minneapolis soared by an impressive 234% compared to January. This surge in online engagement is reflected in a 22% year-over-year decrease in available apartment listings on RentCafe.com compared to one year prior, which helped propel the city straight to the top of our list.

 

Moreover, renters’ strong interest in the city is evident from the 68% increase in favorited listings and a remarkable 182% surge in saved searches. These figures underscore a growing demand for rental properties in this Midwestern gem.

2. Atlanta

Holding strong in the second position is Atlanta, which has experienced a slight shift in renter behavior during February, but nevertheless continues to top the charts thanks to renter interest — especially from those in Orlando, New York and Chicago.

Plus, with this month marking its fifth appearance in our top three cities that renters are checking out, it’s clear that Atlanta’s Southern charm still catches many renters’ attention.

3. Queens, NY

Stepping down to third place in this February rental activity report, apartments for rent in Queens stand out with a remarkable 317% surge in page views amid a 22% decrease in apartment availability on RentCafe.com, indicating a tightening market.

Despite the 18% decrease in favorited listings and a minor 4% drop in saved searches, it’s clear that renters’ interest in this New York borough remains high — even in February. What’s more, Queens ranks as one of the top places where you can get the most out of your income in the Northeast.

4. Detroit

In fourth place, Detroit continues to attract interest from renters with page views skyrocketing by 297%. This surge in interest is matched by a 53% increase in favorited listings and an impressive 271% surge in saved searches.

Consequently, this has led to 6% fewer apartments available on RentCafe.com compared to last year as Detroit's evolving rental landscape continues to attract renters seeking housing options that better fit their budgets.

5. Cleveland

Rounding out the top five is Cleveland, where rental listings have experienced a solid 74% increase in page views amid a 32% decrease in apartment availability on RentCafe.com, thereby suggesting a growing interest among renters.

At the same time, the city has also had a 10% increase in rentals marked as favorites, which showcases a strong interest in desirable properties in Cleveland, even with a 34% drop in saved searches.

6. Overland Park, KS

Overland Park claims the sixth spot, following a remarkable 248% increase in page views. Despite this surge in interest, the number of saved searches remains unchanged and there is only a 14% uptick in favorited apartments. This suggests that renters are thoroughly exploring the available options.

Meanwhile, a 15% increase in available listings here shows that there are still plenty of apartments in Overland Park waiting to be filled.

7. Philadelphia

Apartments in Philadelphia secure the seventh spot for the city in our February rental activity report, after climbing 42 places. The spike was driven by a significant 189% uptick in page views, a modest 3% increase in favorited listings and a 46% surge in saved searches on RentCafe.com.

This activity also coincides with an 18% decrease in listings availability, which indicates a growing interest in apartments within the city, that may be attributed to Philadelphia’s reputation as one of the cities where renters can stretch their dollars the furthest.

8. Orlando, FL

Ranking eighth, Orlando rentals have seen a modest 14% increase in page views, indicating a stable interest from renters. Even so, there's been a significant 67% decrease in favorited listings and a notable 56% drop in saved searches compared to the previous month, which might suggest a shift in preferences or a temporary lull in activity.

Nevertheless, with the availability of listings in the city dropping by 19%, Orlando’s rental market is very appealing to apartment-hunters.

9. Spokane, WA

Spokane lands in the ninth spot thanks to a solid 188% increase in page views and a 40% increase in the number of favorited apartment listings, indicating a growing interest from prospective renters. With only a minor 6% drop in the number of saved searches and a 24% decrease in apartment availability on RentCafe.com, it’s clear that there’s a strong attraction to properties in Spokane.

This is even further proven by the fact that the city rose 49 positions in the ranks, which is the highest ascent among the top 10 cities this month.

10. Washington, D.C.

Rounding out the top 10 are apartments in Washington, D.C., which attracted 32% more page views this February. Yet, the 41% drop in favorited listings and the 42% decrease in saved searches might signal that renters are considering other options in the South.

That said, Washington, D.C.’s rental market continues to attract draw renter interest with apartment availability decreasing by 9% on RentCafe.com, to help the city remain in the top 10 this month.

The West is the most desirable region for apartment hunters in our February rental activity report

Western cities continue to dominate with 10 cities ranking with most activity in February, followed closely by Southern cities with nine entries and the Midwest with eight, while the Northeast wraps up the list with the remaining three cities. Notably, the Midwest and South boast the most cities in the top 10, with four and three entries, respectively.

Leading the pack in the Midwest this month is Minneapolis, with Detroit following at #4 and Cleveland at #5. Other desirable Midwestern spots include Overland Park, KS, at #6; Cincinnati at #14; Chicago at #15; and a notable climb of 73 positions for St. Paul, MN, which lands at #17; while Omaha, NE, at #20 rounds out the Midwest's presence in the top 30 for February.

Spokane steals the spotlight in the Western region after having jumped 49 positions to claim the ninth spot. February's top 30 also features other attractive Western rental destinations, like Denver at #16 and Portland, OR, at #15.

Then, Sacramento, CA, takes the 22nd spot, while Tacoma, WA, secures a comfortable 24th place. Similarly, North Las Vegas, NV, lands at #25; Reno, NV, at #26, and Fremont, CA at #27, all highlighting the diverse appeal of Western cities for renters. Otherwise, Chula Vista, CA, secures the 29th spot, after climbing 71 positions and San Jose, CA, rounds out the top 30.

Interestingly, compared to January, there's been a slight increase in the number of Southern cities in the top 30 for this February rental activity report. Atlanta maintains its status as the highest-ranking Southern place for apartment-hunters, while Orlando drops down to #8 and Washington, D.C. holds steady at #10.

Next, Richmond, VA, lands at #11; Fort Lauderdale, FL, rises to #12; and Little Rock, AR, steals the spotlight by climbing 90 positions — the highest surge among the top 30 cities — to land at #13. Likewise, Cary, NC, rises to #19 by climbing up 50 positions, while Winston-Salem, NC, goes up 19 spots to land at #21 and Louisville, KY finishes at #28.

Lastly, the most popular renting destinations in the Northeast in February are Queens securing #2; Philadelphia climbing 42 positions to land at #7; and Newark, NJ, making an appearance at #23. It's worth mentioning here that all three cities saw impressive surges in page views compared to the previous month, underscoring renters' ongoing interest in these Northeastern locations.

Meet the newcomers: Renters are longing for some Southern charm in February

February introduces 11 fresh cities among our top 30 most sought-after locations for renters, predominantly from the Western and Southern regions. Most notably, Cary, NC, joins the list by climbing 50 positions to reach #19. This coveted location in the South experienced a surge in the number of page views this month to propel it into the top 20.

Following closely is another Southern gem — Winston-Salem, NC — landing in the 21st spot with a remarkable leap of 19 positions. Similarly, Louisville, KY, makes its debut at #28, bolstered by a 103% increase in the number of page views in February.

In the West, North Las Vegas also made a significant ascent of six positions to #25 due to heightened renter interest, which is evident in the 23% decrease in available listings and the 218% boost in page views on RentCafe.com.

Joining the ranks of our top 30 for the first time or making a return are the Western cities of Spokane, WA, which climbed 49 positions since last month; Portland, OR; and Chula Vista, CA. Meanwhile, from the South, Little Rock, AR, makes a remarkable entry this month: The city's listings experienced a surge in page views and a significant decrease in the number of available properties on RentCafe.com to shoot it up 90 spots and straight into our top 30.

Finally, in the Midwest, new entries include St. Paul, MN, and Omaha, NE, while Philadelphia in the Northeast climbed 42 places since last month to secure a spot among the top 10 most sought-after cities.

Methodology

RentCafe.com is a nationwide apartment search website that enables renters to easily find apartments and houses for rent throughout the U.S.

To compile this report, the research team analyzed RentCafe.com’s rental listing data across the 150 largest cities by population in the contiguous U.S. and with a relevant listing inventory sample. The regions are defined according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The cities were ranked based on a city-level rental activity score. Full points were awarded to the most desirable city for a particular metric, while the zero-point level was set slightly below the worst city’s value. Cities that lacked sufficient information regarding specific metrics were awarded zero points.

Beginning in August 2023, the city that obtained the highest total score was awarded 100 points and all total scores of the following cities were adjusted accordingly.

To calculate each city’s score, we ranked them according to four metrics and their averages as of the most current month in 2023 versus the same month in 2022.

1. Availability Rate (Maximum score: 40 points)

The availability rate score was calculated by dividing the total vacant units at the city level for the most recent month by the total units and a year-over-year comparison of the same. The lowest rate received maximum points.

2. Page Views (Maximum score: 30 points)

The page views score was calculated as the total number of monthly page views for the most recent month at the city level divided by the total renter population in the city and a year-over-year comparison of the same. Page views are defined as a unique user interaction on a specific page in a 30-minute window.

3. Favorites (Maximum score: 15 points)

The favorites score was calculated as the total monthly rental listings added to favorites at the city level for the most current month divided by the total renter population in the city and a year-over-year comparison of the same. A favorite is defined as a rental listing saved to favorites by a website visitor.

4. Saved Searches (Maximum score: 15 points)

The saved searches score was calculated as the total number of monthly saved searches at the city level for the most current month divided by the total renter population in the city and a year-over-year comparison of the same. A saved search is defined as a filtered/personalized apartment search saved by a website visitor.

Fair use and redistribution

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