Mid-Year Renter Engagement Tracker: Washington, D.C. is #1, South dominates Top 30

As movers hit their stride in the peak rental season, apartment searches are reaching a fever pitch. So, to see which cities are capturing the most rental activity, we reviewed RentCafe.com online traffic for the entire first half of 2025 to compile our renter engagement tracker. From surging interest in big metros to rising demand in smaller cities, here’s where the rental market is buzzing in mid-2025.

Washington, D.C., maintained its grip on the top spot in the first half of the year, drawing renters in with solid performance across key RentCafe.com engagement metrics. Then, Kansas City, MO, comes in second and Cincinnati completes the podium. Not to be outdone, Minneapolis and Atlanta follow closely at #4 and #5, respectively.

At a regional level, the South leads with 14 cities in the top 30 for renter engagement during the first half of 2025. The Midwest follows with 9 entries, continuing to attract strong interest from renters, while the West places 6 cities on the list. In contrast, the Northeast sees limited representation, with just one city making the cut.

Our recurring analysis of rental market activity is evolving: We’ve transitioned from the monthly Rental Activity Report to the new quarterly Renter Engagement Tracker (REnT). This series will continue to track renters’ engagement with listings on RentCafe.com in the top 150 U.S. cities, aiming to provide fresh insights into renter preferences and market dynamics.

As always, you can still access our previous monthly reports, such as those for January and February, as well as the one for the first quarter of 2025. Or, for a wider perspective, dive into our comprehensive 2024 Year-End Rental Activity Report.

Washington, D.C. attracts most renter interest in 1st half of 2025

1. Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., leads the nation as the top city for renter interest in the first half of 2025, rising five spots year-over-year. Specifically, apartment hunters are attracted by its strong job market, walkable neighborhoods and high-quality transit options.

The nation’s capital ranked first in saved searches on RentCafe.com even with a slight 5% year-over-year dip, indicating sustained renter interest. To that end, page views rose 5%, and renters had 15% more listings to choose from. Much of this online activity came from nearby Reston, VA, as well as New York City and Baltimore.

2. Kansas City, MO

Next, Kansas City, MO, shot up 70 positions in our renter engagement tracker compared to  the first half of last year, to become the runner-up for renter engagement in mid- 2025. Renters are increasingly drawn to KC’s affordability, emerging job market and revitalized downtown.

In fact, engagement was strong across the board, with page views up 15%, favorites up 34% and saved searches rising 6% year-over-year. This suggests that Kansas City is on renters’ radars, with most interest coming from local renters and the suburb of Overland Park, KS, as well as Chicago and Denver.

3. Cincinnati

Cincinnati rounds out the podium for the renter engagement tracker after climbing 10 spots. Known for its livability, affordability and economic stability, the city continued to draw plenty of interest on RentCafe.com throughout the first six months of 2025.

Here, page views increased 3% year-over-year, while listings marked as favorites surged by 40% — a sign that renters are taking more time to find an apartment that ticks their boxes. Meanwhile, a 26% drop in saved searches also suggests that they’re relying less on returning to broader searches and more on zeroing in once they find promising options. Most of the activity came from Columbus, OH; Chicago; and the nearby suburb of Forest Park, OH.

4. Minneapolis

Once the top city for renter interest, Minneapolis slips three positions in mid-2025 to land at #4. Even so, it remains a key rental hub in the Midwest thanks to its mix of employment opportunities, parks and modern apartments.

In this case, renter engagement on RentCafe.com softened slightly year-over-year: Page views fell by 19%, favorites dipped by 9% and saved searches dropped by 39%, suggesting that renters may be speeding up their apartment-hunting process. Most of the renter interest originated from Chicago and nearby St. Paul, MN, and Bloomington, MN.

5. Atlanta

Atlanta dropped two spots to rank at #5 for the first half of the year, although it continues to appeal with its booming job market, rich cultural scene, and relatively affordable cost of living compared to other major metros. Even as apartment listings here continue to attract high levels of online activity, renters appear to be spending more time exploring their options before committing to a lease.

This more deliberate approach likely contributed to Atlanta’s year-over-year drop in favorited listings and saved searches — signaling strong interest, but perhaps with more caution. That said, most of the engagement for apartments in Atlanta came from New York; Phoenix; and the suburbs of Marietta, GA, and Sandy Springs, GA.

6. Chicago

Chicago rose nine positions to rank sixth in mid-2025. Of course, the Windy City remains a key destination for renters by offering a robust job market, cultural diversity and relatively more affordable rental options than other coastal metros of similar size.

While engagement remained fairly stable from mid-2024 (with page views down 8%, favorites holding flat at 0% and saved searches declining by 29%), the city’s consistent presence on renters’ radars helped lift its ranking in our renter engagement tracker. Most of the interest in Chicago apartments originated from Phoenix; New York City; and suburban areas like Wheaton, IL.

7. Los Angeles

Next, Los Angeles made a significant comeback to now rank at #7 in the renter engagement tracker after climbing 44 spots year-over-year. Granted, the early-year wildfires drove a spike in renter activity as many displaced residents turned to RentCafe.com in search of housing. This surge consequently pushed LA up in the rankings, reaffirming its status as a high-demand rental market.

More precisely, page views rose 18% and favorited listings grew 23%, driven by both LA’s ongoing appeal and a flood of demand from residents displaced by wildfires. Notably, with many renters urgently seeking housing, saved searches dropped 23% — likely because users skipped that step to act quickly. Most of the engagement came from East Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA, as well as Phoenix.

8. Philadelphia

Philadelphia jumped 14 places to land at #8 among the top cities for renter interest in the first half of 2025. With its blend of historic charm, major job centers and relatively lower rents compared to neighboring East Coast hubs, the city claims a coveted renting spot in the Northeast.

Renter engagement on RentCafe.com was particularly strong throughout the first six months of the year: Page views were up 22% compared to the same period in 2024, favorited listings increased by 26% and saved searches rose by 9%. This well-rounded engagement signals consistent demand for apartments in the City of Brotherly Love with most online activity coming from large hubs in the Northeast, like New York and Boston, as well as Phoenix.

9. Las Vegas

Las Vegas made one of the most dramatic leaps in the first half of 2025 after jumping 86 spots to land at #9 in this edition of the renter engagement tracker. Clearly, it continues to attract renters in search of affordability, sun and entertainment. Moreover, its growing economy, lack of state income tax and a steady influx of modern rentals are also big draws for apartment-seekers.

Here, page views rose by 8%, while favorited listings jumped by 32% and saved searches were up 6% — clear signs of rising renter interest. Much of the activity on RentCafe.com originated from apartment-seekers in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Denver, who are increasingly looking to the Las Vegas area as a desirable place to relocate.

10. St. Paul, MN

Finally, St. Paul rounds out the top 10 for the first half of 2025 after climbing 24 positions compared to the same six-month period in 2024. The city’s rise in the rankings reflects growing renter interest supported by factors like affordability, community-oriented neighborhoods and riverfront living.

While page views were down 17% year-over-year, favorited listings increased 14%, and saved searches rose by 17% — indicating that apartment-hunters are approaching the city with greater intention and follow-through. Most of the interest came from its twin city of Minneapolis; Chicago; and nearby suburb of Woodbury, MN.

South is most in-demand region for renters

The South leads the way in the first six months of 2025 by claiming nearly half (14) of the top 30 most sought-after cities for renters. The Midwest follows with nine cities (four of which are in the top 10), while the West has six cities on the list. The Northeast is represented by just one city in the rankings.

Leading in the South is Washington, D.C., which is also #1 in the nation. It’s followed by Atlanta (#2 regionally and #5 nationally) and Amarillo, TX (#3 in the region and #11 in the U.S.). Next up, New Orleans ranks fourth in the South and 12th in the nation, followed by Louisville, KY (#5 in the region and #13 in the U.S.); Fort Lauderdale, FL (#6 in the South and #15 nationally); and Augusta, GA (#7 regionally and #16 in the U.S.).

The list continues with Montgomery, AL (#8 in the South and #18 in the U.S.); Orlando, FL (#9 in the region and #19 nationally); and Columbus, GA (#10 in the South and #20 in the U.S.). Chesapeake, VA, follows at #11 regionally and #21 nationally, with Little Rock, AR, right behind at #12 in the South and #22 in the U.S. Rounding out the Southern entries are Richmond, VA (#13 regionally and #23 nationally), and Virginia Beach, VA (#14 in the South and #24 in the U.S.).

Moving to the Midwest, Kansas City, MO, leads the region for online engagement in the first half of 2025 after a dramatic rise in renter interest. It’s followed by Cincinnati (#2 in the Midwest and #3 in the U.S.); Minneapolis (#3 regionally and #4 nationally); Chicago (#4 in the Midwest and #6 in the U.S.); and St. Paul, MN (#5 regionally and #10 in the U.S.).

Continuing down the list, Columbus, OH, ranks sixth in the Midwest and 13th in the U.S., followed by Cleveland (#7 regionally and #17 nationally) and Overland Park, KS (#8 in the Midwest and #25 in the U.S.). Closing out the region’s top entries is Grand Rapids, MI, which ranks ninth in the Midwest and #29 nationwide.

In the West, Los Angeles takes the crown for renter interest in the first half of 2025 by ranking at #7 nationally. It’s followed by Las Vegas, the regional runner-up and #9 in the U.S. Next up is Long Beach, CA (#3 in the West and 16 nationally), followed by Portland, OR (#4 regionally and #19 in the U.S.). San Jose, CA, comes in fifth in the West and 25th nationally, and Sacramento, CA, rounds out the region’s top entries at #6 in the West and #27 in the U.S.

Lastly, the only Northeastern location to make the rankings in the first half of 2025 is Philadelphia, which leads its region and also ranks eighth in the U.S. for renter interest.

New cities make up half of mid-year renter engagement tracker

Compared to the first six months of 2024, there are 15 newcomers in the ranking of the top 30 for renter engagement for the first half of 2025. Of these, eight are from the South, four are from the Midwest, and three are from the West, indicating a shift in renter interest toward more affordable and emerging markets.

Kansas City, MO, leads the newcomers at #2 after a 70-position leap fueled by double-digit gains across all engagement metrics. Los Angeles follows at #7, reentering the list with significant increases in page views and favorited listings to demonstrate strong appeal in the wake of the wildfires in January. Then, Las Vegas comes in at #9, jumping 86 spots with solid growth across the board.

At #10, St. Paul, MN, climbed 24 places with a dip in page views offset by double-digit gains in favorites and saved searches. And, Grand Rapids, MI, ranks at #14, up 44 spots, despite across-the-board drops — signaling growing appeal in affordable Midwest markets. Amarillo, TX, follows at #15 with the largest leap — 132 spots, driven by a 176% spike in favorites even with declines in availability and page views.

At the same time, Long Beach, CA, ranks 16th after a 37-spot rise, backed by strong growth in both page views and favorites. Likewise, New Orleans lands at #17, up 74 positions, with metrics presenting mixed results, but interest nevertheless holding steady. Fort Lauderdale, FL, ranks 20th after climbing 41 spots. Despite declining metrics, it likely benefited from decisive renter behavior.

Nearby, Augusta, GA, enters at #21 with lower search volume, but a 27% jump in favorites. Staying in the South, Montgomery, AL, ranks 22nd with a 26-position rise and a standout 91% increase in favorites, showing focused renter intent. Similarly, Columbus, GA, comes in at #24 (up 44 spots) with a small rise in favorites despite a sharp drop in saved searches.

Chesapeake, VA, lands at #26, climbing 10 spots with fewer views and searches, but a 59% boost in favorites. Virginia Beach, VA, rounds out the newcomers at #30, up 58 positions and reentering the list on steady engagement even with its modest declines.

Together, these 15 cities reflect a strong shift toward affordability, livability, and lifestyle-focused relocation decisions with the South and Midwest leading the charge in renter engagement during the first half of 2025.

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 report analyzes the first half of 2025 (from January through June) compared to the same six-month period in 2024.

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.

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 for the six months between January and June 2025 compared to the same six-month period in 2024.

1. Availability Rate (Maximum score: 40 points)

The availability rate score was calculated by the average of the monthly availability rates (dividing the total vacant units at the city level for the most recent month by the total units) in the first six months of 2025 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 by the average of monthly page views (the total number of monthly page views at the city level for the most current month divided by the total renter population in the city) in the first six months of 2025 and a year-over-year comparison of the raw values. 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 by the average of monthly favorites (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) in the first six months of 2025 and a year-over-year comparison of the raw values. 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 by the average of monthly saved searches (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) in the first six months of 2025 and a year-over-year comparison of the raw values. A saved search is defined as a filtered/personalized apartment search saved by a website visitor.

Fair use and redistribution

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