{"id":98836,"date":"2020-02-07T01:57:09","date_gmt":"2020-02-07T09:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?p=98836"},"modified":"2022-09-05T05:03:33","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T12:03:33","slug":"best-u-s-state-capitals-for-renters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/apartmentliving\/best-u-s-state-capitals-for-renters\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best U.S. State Capitals for Renters"},"content":{"rendered":"

America\u2019s state capitals can be hidden gems for renters looking for their next home. For too long, state capitals have been considered dull cities that just serve as administrative hubs, when in fact many of them are actually pretty cool places to live in, with comfortable living standards and top-quality\u00a0apartments that rival big city dwellings.<\/p>\n

To determine which U.S. state capitals are the best\u00a0to rent in,\u00a0we analyzed the capitals and\u00a0compared them according to\u00a0average\u00a0rent to median renter income ratio<\/strong>,\u00a0crime rate<\/strong>, and\u00a0quality of apartments<\/strong>. Check out the results below; they might surprise you and be just enough to tip the scales in favor of some unexpected cities.<\/p>\n

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Top U.S. State Capitals for Renters<\/h3>\n

While comparing the 30 state capitals, the spotlight is on the top three: Lincoln, NE<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0Boise, ID<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Raleigh, NC<\/a><\/strong>. In particular, what separates them from the pack is a mix of high rankings in all categories, which equates to a good score on the renter livability chart.\u00a0Coming in 4th\u00a0<\/sup>and 5th<\/sup>, respectively, are Des Moines, IA<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0and Austin, TX<\/strong><\/a>, followed by\u00a0Phoenix, AZ<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0and Carson City, NV<\/strong><\/a>. Next up are Oklahoma City, OK<\/strong><\/a>, and Salt Lake City, UT<\/strong><\/a>, with\u00a0Santa Fe, NM<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0rounding out the top 10.<\/p>\n

So, without further ado, let\u2019s find out what makes these 10 capital cities so special:<\/p>\n

1. Lincoln, NE<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

The\u00a0best\u00a0state capital to rent in\u00a0is\u00a0Lincoln<\/strong>,\u00a0which ranks well\u00a0in all of the criteria analyzed.\u00a0The small-city feeling in this charming capital makes it easy for renters to pack up their bags and settle here.<\/p>\n

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In fact, Lincolnite renters have it pretty cushy; the average rent here of\u00a0$975 (according to apartment data from\u00a0Yardi Matrix<\/a>)and a median income of around $56,700 make for\u00a0a cool 21% rent to income ratio.<\/p>\n

The second-largest city in Nebraska also rises to the top when it comes to low crime rate (4th<\/sup> place).\u00a0Need another reason to pick Lincoln?\u00a0The local\u00a0Chamber of Commerce<\/a>\u00a0calls it \u201ca sweet spot for balanced living\u201d\u00a0and offers a\u00a0handy\u00a0guide for moving there.<\/p>\n

2. Boise, ID<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Next up is Idaho\u2019s largest city, Boise. <\/strong>What else can you say about a city that\u2019s already been\u00a0voted 2019\u2019s best place to live in<\/a>? Well, for starters, it\u2019s still quite affordable:\u00a0the $1,179 average rent (according to\u00a0Yardi Matrix\u00a0<\/a>data) on an income of around $58,300 means about 24% of it goes to rent.\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

This green capital is also a good choice for active renters in search of cool bike trails, which makes it a favorite among millennial renters.<\/p>\n

And, this modern-yet-quaint capital is also one of the safest capital cities, coming in 2nd<\/sup> for low crime rate.<\/p>\n

3. Raleigh, NC<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Coming in 3rd\u00a0<\/sup>is Raleigh<\/strong>, where\u00a0renters earn about $65,600 and spend $1,223 on average on rent. Not only is Raleigh full of national historic landmarks, but the tech Renaissance in the Triangle Region also makes living here more exciting than you\u2019d think.\u00a0 \"\"<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s reputation as an emerging tech hub with a dynamic startup scene could also explain why the North Carolina capital ranked 1st<\/sup> in quality apartments.<\/p>\n

Plus, when you add colleges like North Carolina State University or Duke into the mix, it\u2019s easy to understand why young renters find the city appealing, despite the quiet nightlife.<\/p>\n

4. Des Moines, IA<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

If we\u2019re talking about small-city charm with big-city opportunities, some might find it surprising to see that Des Moines<\/strong> made the list. But, there\u2019s more than meets the eye to Iowa\u2019s center of government.\"\"<\/p>\n

Des Moines renters are actually among the luckier ones when it comes to how much they spend on rent on a monthly basis; their city ranks\u00a03rd<\/sup>\u00a0for best rent to income ratio at 20%. In fact, Des Moines renters spend less of their monthly income on rent than even those renting in\u00a0front-runners like Lincoln and Boise.<\/p>\n

5. Austin, TX<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Austin<\/strong> comes in strong in\u00a05th<\/sup> place. Renters here might spend a balanced 25% of their income on monthly rent, but this is the part where we give the Texas capital credit for having the highest median renter income on the list at close to $69,300.\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

With 6% of those renting in Austin making $150,000 or more per year and 60% of its units on the luxury side, it\u2019s safe to say that Austin also welcomes wealthy renters looking for more swanky alternatives.<\/p>\n

6. Phoenix, AZ<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Phoenix <\/strong>kickstarts the latter half of our list, and rightfully so; it\u2019s one of those places that you see on a list of the best U.S. capitals and it just makes sense due to its emerging tech hub, career opportunities, and constant new residential developments. Simply put, this capital is booming. Although it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of rent at $1,119 per month, Arizona\u2019s capital enters the top 10 for rent to income ratio (24%).\"\"<\/p>\n

However, apartments in this renter hub also shine when it comes to overall quality, and the city proves it can cater to renters who are looking for something with a little more pizzazz. Phoenix also\u00a0enjoys its fair share of upper-class quality rental options, coming in 7th\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup>on our list for this metric.<\/p>\n

7. Carson City, NV<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Another safe bet for renters is Carson City<\/strong>, which comes in 7th<\/sup> place.\u00a0The capital city ranked 3rd<\/sup> for its low crime rate \u2014 which is probably part of the reason why violent crime is not something that immediately comes to mind when you think about the state of Nevada.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re looking for a good place to start a family \u2014 with traveling, entertainment, and wellness options within an hour\u2019s drive \u2014 this is it!<\/p>\n

Renters might want to keep an eye on this dark horse for its reasonable $1,086 average rent and income around $53,400.<\/p>\n

8. Oklahoma City, OK<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Next up is Oklahoma\u2019s finest:\u00a0Oklahoma City<\/strong>. OKC is very popular with renters, not just because of the recent redevelopment projects<\/a> around the city.<\/p>\n

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The main reason here is the cheap rent \u2014 just under $785 on average \u2014 paired with a median income of almost $55,500. Needless to say, Oklahoma\u2019s capital has the best rent to income ratio among all the capitals analyzed: just 17%.<\/p>\n

9. Salt Lake City, UT<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

We can\u2019t talk about the best U.S. capital cities for renters without discussing the safest one in the country. In 9th<\/sup> place is Salt Lake City<\/strong>, which has\u00a0a 26% rent to median income ratio. On top of that, potential renters might be happy to learn that SLC has also enjoyed an extended drop in serious crime.<\/p>\n

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Plus, not only is Utah\u2019s capital a great spot for biking, but its residents also enjoy some awesome winter sports opportunities.<\/p>\n

10. Santa Fe, NM<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Wrapping up the top 10 is Santa Fe<\/strong>. The city might serve as the center of government in New Mexico, but those living here understand the cultural value of this particular capital city.\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Santa Fe has a way of luring you in; you may come here as a tourist and find yourself renting in no time \u2014 and not just for the art scene and dynamic nightlife.<\/p>\n

Reducing state capitals to just economic hubs and stuffy administrative centers diminishes their charm. These top cities are proof that renting somewhere outside of a bustling metropolis can actually come with just as many ups, if not more. So, if you\u2019re looking for your next home, consider giving one of these best state capitals a chance.<\/p>\n

For more information on the Top 20 U.S. State Capitals, take a look below:<\/strong><\/p>\n