Scottsdale and two Southeast Valley cities took the top three best places to rent in the nation in personal-finance company WalletHub\u2019s annual survey of 182 cities.<\/p>\n
Gilbert and Chandler took second and third place, respectively, among a survey based on 21 key indicators of \u201crental attractiveness and quality of life.\u201d Peoria captured the sixth best place, putting four Arizona municipalities in WalletHub\u2019s \u201cbest\u201d 10.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur data set ranges from the difference between rental rates and mortgage payments to rental affordability, the cost of living and job availability,\u201d WalletHub said.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Rounding out the top 10 nationally, in order from fourth to 10th place, were Overland Park, Kansas; Columbia, Maryland; Peoria; Bismark, North Dakota; Huntsville, Alabama; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Amarillo, Texas.<\/p>\n
Detroit ranked last among 182, preceded by second-worst Cleveland and third-worst Jackso, Mississippi.<\/p>\n
\u201cBismarck, North Dakota, has the highest rental affordability, with the lowest median annual gross rent divided by median annual household income at 15.29%,\u201d the survey said. \u201cThis is 2.4 times lower than in Hialeah, Florida, the city with the lowest at 36.46%.\u201d<\/p>\n
It said Charleston, West Virginia has the highest rental vacancy rate, which is 8.5 times higher than in Nashua, New Hampshire, the city among the lowest.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Newark, New Jersey, has the highest share of renter-occupied housing units, which is 4.7 times higher than in Port St. Lucie, Florida, the city with the lowest.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Brownsville, Texas, has the lowest cost-of-living index, which is 2.4 times lower than in Honolulu and New York, New York, the cities with the highest.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Warwick, Rhode Island, has the fewest violent crimes (per 1,000 residents), which is 31.7 times fewer than in Memphis, Tennessee, the city with the most.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cIn the best cities for renters, rent can cost you as little as around 15% of your income,\u201d said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll also have access to robust laws that protect renters, such as limiting deposits to only a month or two of rent,\u201d he said, adding:<\/p>\n
\u201cOur study also considers quality-of-life factors such as a city\u2019s traffic congestion, job market or recreation options to make sure you can get a good living experience, not just inexpensive housing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cScottsdale is the best place to rent, in large part due to the quality of life in the city,\u201d Lupo continued.<\/p>\n
Dr. Andrew Burnstine, an associate professor at Lynn University, \u00a0cited Scottsdale and Chandler as cities that \u201cdemonstrate how a high quality of life can coexist with smart rental value.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lupo added, \u201cScottsdale ranks as the best city for both the availability of jobs and the driving environment (traffic and infrastructure quality). Arizona has state-level laws addressing bedbug infestations in rental properties, which further protects renters in Scottsdale.\u201d<\/p>\n
The survey also said, \u201cScottsdale isn\u2019t the cheapest city to rent in, but it\u2019s also far from the most expensive. It has the 57th-best rental affordability out of 182 cities, with most people only spending under 22% of their annual income on rent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city also has one of the largest average home square footages in the country, at 2,179 square feet.\u201d<\/p>\n
The survey also found that Gilbert has the 37th-best rental affordability, with the average person only spending around 21% of their annual income on rent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, only around 19% of households pay more than 50% of their income for housing, the 11th-lowest share in the country,\u201d it continued. \u201cGilbert is also a great place for people who have or plan to have kids, as it has a very good school system \u2013 61% of public schools in the city get a rating of at least 7 out of 10 from Greatschools.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile this may not seem like a high percentage, only 20 cities out of 182 in our study achieve percentages of 50% or higher. Gilbert has the third-lowest crime rate, too.<\/p>\n Chandler captured third place in the country \u201cpartly because most people only spend around 21% of their annual income on rent, and only around 20% of households spend more than 50% of their income on housing costs,\u201d the survey said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn addition, homes in Chandler have a generous average square footage, at 1,888 square feet. There are plenty of new homes to choose from, too, as more than 17% of homes were built between 2010 and 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnstine explained, \u201cValue is not just about the lowest monthly rent; it is about the total cost of occupancy over your lease term.<\/p>\n \u201cSavvy renters look for concessions, such as one month of free rent or waived application fees, which landlords are increasingly using to attract tenants in slower markets.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnstine said renters should \u201ctreat your search like a project: map out your total monthly obligations, including utilities, parking, and transit costs. If you find a place with high energy efficiency or with internet included, you are effectively reducing your hidden rent.\u201d<\/p>\n WalletHub consultants also suggested Arizona is moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n Landmark College professor Jeanette Landin, said that in order to increase rental affordability, \u201ceasing restrictions on the construction of multifamily housing in areas traditionally zoned for single-family homes would certainly help, as would streamlining the permitting process.<\/p>\n And Lynn University professor Dr. Andrew Burnstine, added, \u201cThe magic formula for policymakers is \u2018missing middle\u2019 housing, which allows cities to grow in density without turning every quiet street into a skyscraper zone.<\/p>\n \u201cBy permitting duplexes, townhomes, and accessory dwelling units, cities can increase supply and lower costs for renters while maintaining the visual character that existing homeowners value,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n