For a considerable number of Americans, house prices have risen so much that renting is pretty much the only option — and if you're going to rent, you probably want to be living in a renter-friendly spot.
To find out which parts of the country are best and worst for renters, Forbes Advisor compared 96 of the most-populated US cities — on metrics as wide-ranging as unemployment rates, average rent prices, the percentage of dog-friendly rentals — and ranked the locations according to their scores.
Key Findings:
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The top two cities for renters are both in Arizona. Chandler, the highest-scoring city overall, offers a median household income of $91,299, and more than 87 percent of its rentals are dog-friendly. In Gilbert, which takes second place, just 37 percent of residents are rent-burdened.
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Cheap rent isn't all it takes to be renter-friendly, though. Cleveland, Ohio, is more affordable than any other city when it comes to one- and two-bedroom costs, but it also has a low median household income, high crime rate and less-than-ideal unemployment levels — which puts it in 39th place on the list.
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Across the cities studied, the average costs of renting one- and two-bedroom apartments are $1,301 and $1,590 respectively, while their respective average sizes are 688 square feet and 979 square feet.
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Dog-friendliness counts for a lot when it comes to happy renting. Of the top 15 best cities in the study, most — including Plano, Texas, home to the highest share of pet-friendly rentals, and Boise, Idaho, which has the most dog parks — offer a considerable proportion of rentals allowing pets.
Via Forbes Advisor.
[Image credit: Joe Cook]
