2025 rental market in review: Key trends and exclusive insights from RentCafe.com

The rental market has shifted in meaningful ways in 2025, reshaping who rents and where. More than 506,000 new apartments opened nationwide, with over half located in the South — and newly built units are getting larger overall. At the same time, adaptive reuse continued to gain momentum: Over 70,700 apartments were created from former offices this year, breaking a new record for office-to-apartment conversions.

Furthermore, more millionaires are choosing the flexibility and perks of renting — while luxury apartments at below-average rents are still within reach for those who know where to look. And, roughly 38% of U.S. renters move to a new address in their area within two years of signing a lease, with Gen Z leading the pack as the most frequent movers.

Staying informed can make a real difference for renters navigating their options in the new year. So, to provide clarity, we’ve rounded up this year’s top RentCafe.com reports. Packed with exclusive data, engaging visuals and expert takeaways, each report breaks down the trends shaping the ever-competitive apartment market.

Whether you’re keeping an eye on national trends or digging into local updates, our exclusive insights make it easier to understand what’s really happening in today’s U.S. rental market and how it may impact your next apartment search.

500K+ new apartments opened this year — mostly in the South

Although the 506,353 new units that opened in 2025 falls short of last year’s record-setting apartment completions, the total remains well above any annual totals recorded since 2015, thereby reflecting continued high demand for rental apartments.

Fueled by fast population growth, more than half of the new apartments built in 2025 are in the South, especially in big Texas cities, like Dallas, Austin and Houston.

In fact, Sunbelt cities continue to surge as economic powerhouses, and revitalization efforts (boosted, in part, by investments tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup) are helping fuel even more construction.

• Read the full report here.

Adaptive reuse skyrockets to 25K converted apartments

Adaptive reuse apartments are surging at a record pace: Last year, nearly 25,000 new rentals came from these conversions — a 50% jump from the year before. Specifically, hotel-to-apartment projects led the way, accounting for 37% of all conversions. They were followed by office buildings (24%), industrial spaces (20%), and schools (8%).

In fact, school conversions were the fastest-growing conversion type: Nearly 2,000 new apartments were created from former schools — an all-time high and four times more than in 2023.

And there’s much more coming: About 181,000 additional converted apartments are in the pipeline nationwide (mostly from former office spaces), which is up 19% from last year.

• Read the full report here.

Record 71K apartments coming from office conversions

Turning offices into apartments is also taking off fast: These projects jumped from 23,100 units in 2022 to an expected 70,700 in 2025, breaking record after record each year. Now, office-to-apartment projects account for nearly 42% of all future converted apartments.

Additionally, more of these office-to-apartment conversions are happening in newer buildings, especially those from the 1990s and 2010s. Previously, they comprised just 1.27% of reuse projects, whereas now they’re expected to represent about 7% of upcoming conversions.

Nationwide, more than 1.2 billion square feet of office space (or 14.8% of total office inventory) is considered suitable for conversion, according to the Conversion Feasibility Index from CommercialEdge.

• Read the full report here.

New apartments are getting larger

After years of shrinking floor plans, apartment sizes are getting larger. The national average apartment size is now 908 square feet, with studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms all adding a bit more space throughout the last decade.

Of these, one-bedrooms remain developers’ favorite, making up 48% of all new apartments built in 2024 and throughout the last 10 years. To that end, one-bedroom apartments got about six square feet larger to reach 735 square feet, on average. At the same time, three-bedroom units have steadily shrunk, with two-bedrooms following a similar trend.

As studios and one-bedrooms dominate the market, smaller apartments continue to shape the push toward more efficient living space.

Studios also saw the biggest gains, adding 13 square feet in 2024 to reach an average of 457 square feet, up from 444 in 2023.

• Read the full report here.

Washington, D.C., attracts most interest from renters

Our mid-year Renter Engagement Tracker shows that renters are being more careful when looking for a new place in 2025. Specifically, they’re checking more listings, saving more favorites and doing more research before signing a lease.

Washington, D.C., ranks #1 for renter engagement in the first half of the year, earning high marks across RentCafe.com’s key engagement indicators: available listings, page views, favorites and saved searches. Kansas City, MO, follows in second place with Cincinnati close behind in third.

By region, the South leads with 14 cities in the top 30. The Midwest follows with nine entries, showing steady interest. The West contributes six cities, showing moderate but consistent activity. In contrast, the Northeast is sparsely represented, with only one city making the list during the first half of 2025.

• Read the full report here.

Chasing the action? D.C. builds most downtown apartments

Downtown living has big perks for renters — walkability; plenty of restaurants and entertainment; community events and even possible savings from local revitalization programs.

As such, downtown apartment construction peaked in 2019, when 44% of all new units were added in core areas. Interestingly, adaptive reuse was even more influential in the late 1990s and 2000s, when it made up 16% of new downtown rentals — the highest share in 35 years.

However, since 2020, the landscape has shifted: Only 34.7% of new apartments have been built in downtown areas (down from 39.2% pre-pandemic) — a 4.5% drop suggesting a more strategic development approach. Similarly, adaptive reuse in urban cores has also slowed, falling from 10% of downtown builds in the 2010s to 6% today.

Even so, this decade (2020 to present) has been strong for markets in which more than 70% of new apartments were built in the city core. Leading the pack is Washington, D.C. with nearly 80%, followed by Long Beach, CA; Milwaukee; Detroit; and San Francisco.

• Read the full report here.

Nation’s capital is most livable metro area

Does finding a place where you can live well — with a reasonable cost of living, good health care access and a strong sense of community — feel out of reach? Washington, D.C. proves it’s possible.

Uncommon for a major city, the capital ranks #1 among the nation’s most livable metro areas, due to its focus on wellness, ongoing revitalization efforts and unmatched professional networking opportunities. These strengths helped D.C. climb from seventh place last year to #1 this year.

And, let’s not forget last year’s top performer: Portland, ME, which now ranks second, is supported by a stable job market and rich cultural and culinary scenes.

That said, regionally, the Midwest leads the way in overall livability, while the Northeast and West tie for second place.

• Read the full report here.

The best cities for renters are in the South

The South solidifies its lead as the top region for renters, claiming 41 of the 50 cities included in RentCafe.com’s 2025 best cities for renters report thanks to high rankings in cost of living, housing and local economy.

Southern metros also dominate the top 10, reflecting the region’s growing appeal. Meanwhile, the West delivers great options for renters seeking a strong blend of jobs and lifestyle.

Of course, the Midwest continues to offer some of the best values for renters. Namely, cities like Sioux Falls, SD, lead the region by combining low costs with a high quality of life.

Even in the Northeast, renters who prioritize lifestyle and career growth have appealing options, too. For instance, Stamford, CT, offers a good match for young professionals drawn to its high-end apartments and nearby Fortune 500 companies.

• Read the full report here.

Midwestern & Sunbelt cities offer most space for $1,500

Nationwide, renters can get about 715 square feet of space for a monthly rent of $1,500. But in 63% of the 200 largest U.S. cities, apartment hunters can stretch that budget even further. In particular, Midwestern and Sunbelt cities offer the most apartment space for that budget.

The South dominates the list, claiming 12 of the top 20 large cities offering the most square footage for $1,500. The remaining cities are in the Midwest. And, in nearly all 20 markets, renters can enjoy more than 1,000 square feet for that price, which is well below the national average rent.

At the other end of the spectrum, renters in major Northeastern hubs can’t even secure a studio for $1,500. Granted, these cities come with a clear trade-off: Renters get to enjoy unmatched culture, career opportunities and urban buzz in exchange for more compact living spaces.

• Read the full report here.

1 out of every 11 millionaires in America is actually a renter

In a surprising shift, the number of millionaire renters has tripled since 2019, growing even faster than millionaire homeowners. Since 2019, renters earning more than $1 million per year increased by 204%, as compared to 169% for homeowners. This shows that more wealthy people are choosing the flexibility and perks of luxury rentals.

While large, coastal hubs still attract many affluent renters, Southern cities are gaining ground. Texas, in particular, has seen big increases in millionaire renters looking for warm weather and a relaxed lifestyle. Meanwhile, millionaire homeowners are on the rise in select Florida locations.

There’s also a clear generational trend: Millionaire Millennials are more likely to rent, whereas millionaire Gen Xers tend to buy. Moreover, since 2019, the share of high-earning Millennials who rent has climbed by 60%, outpacing Gen Xers, who lean toward homeownership instead.

• Read the full report here.

Luxury apartments without the high price tag? That’s totally doable in Texas

Looking for a stylish apartment with great amenities in a nice area without paying top dollar? Texas is your best bet. The Lone Star State leads the nation in luxury-for-less renting, boasting 44 ZIP codes where high-end housing comes at below-average rents — far more than any other state.

The West also offers strong opportunities for upscale rentals at reasonable prices. For example, Colorado has 19 ZIP codes where renters can score premium units without the premium price tag.

Several cities in the Pacific Northwest stand out, as well, by offering some of the biggest savings for renters. Although many apartments here are high-end, rents remain below typical luxury rates, making luxury living significantly more affordable.

• Read the full report here.

More than one-third of renters change homes in less than 2 years

Roughly 38% of U.S. renters move to a new address in their area within two years of signing a lease, which is a slight drop from 40% in 2018. Moreover, this shift is tied to recent economic ups and downs: Early in the pandemic, many renters moved to save money or return home. Later, job changes, the Great Resignation and rising living costs pushed others to look for new opportunities or more affordable cities.

Across age groups, Gen Z is the most mobile with 72% moving within two years. At a distance, Millennial renters follow at 43%, reflecting more established careers, personal lives and a greater need for stability.

Yet, even for Gen Zers, moving patterns have moderated. Hyper-frequent movers fell from 83% in 2018 to 72% in 2023, suggesting slightly longer stays — though short-term tenancies are still common.

Regionally, the Southeast leads with 12 of the top 30 move-easy metros, followed by the Southwest with six.

Conspicuously absent from the top 30 is the Northeast, where tight supply means renters tend to stay put once they find a place that fits their needs.

• Read the full report here.

It’s harder than ever to find an apartment in Manhattan, NY

Miami is the nation’s hottest rental market this year, with Chicago and its suburbs close behind as more renters look to the Midwest.

Notably, finding an apartment in Manhattan, NY, became incredibly difficult in 2025 as more people returned to the office. Plus, with two-thirds of renters renewing their leases, newcomers had very few options.

Competition also rose fastest in the suburban Twin Cities, where renters are drawn not just by affordability, but also by the quieter, safer, suburban lifestyle. On the West Coast, San Francisco’s rental market heated up, as well, driven by high-paying tech jobs and more companies bringing workers back onsite.

Otherwise, among small metros, Fayetteville, AR, ranks as the hottest market at the end of 2025, with vacant units leasing the fastest in the country. Renters are also feeling the pressure in Lehigh Valley, PA.

Further south, Port St. Lucie, FL, is the top-trending small rental market, while Lubbock, TX, has seen competition double to 11 renters per unit, up from five last year.

• Read the full report here.

With more Gen Zers heading to college or graduating and starting the next chapter of their lives, we dug deeper into the data to uncover more key insights for this generation of younger renters.

Here’s what we found:

The best college towns are in the West & Midwest

Just like last year, Western and Midwestern cities dominate the top 20 best college towns for 2025, offering students not only strong academic environments but also affordable, high-quality lifestyles.

At the top of the list is Bozeman, MT, which takes the crown for the second year in a row thanks to its mix of affordability, reputable academics, and incredible natural surroundings.

Across the country, Northeastern cities — despite being home to Ivy League schools and world-class universities — didn’t make the top 20. Here, higher costs of living and more competitive housing and job markets kept them out of this year’s rankings.

• Read the full report here.

Laid-back, affordable metros with solid jobs suit Gen Z grads best

For many Gen Zers who are fresh out of college, the best metros to start their next chapter are laid back, affordable and career-friendly. Accordingly, leading the way is Ann Arbor, MI, ranked as the top metro for Gen Z graduates.

Regionally, the Midwest swept the podium, earning the top three spots in the top 10. The Northeast and South also make a strong showing, each placing three metros in the ranking.

The West, however, has only one representative: Seattle. That suggests post-graduation moves aren’t driven by geography as much as by shared qualities — opportunity, affordability and overall livability, the core values Gen Z renters prioritize most.

• Read the full report here.