To determine the most sought-after cities by renters, RentCafe.com crunched the traffic numbers for listings in the country’s 150 largest cities to highlight renters’ preferences and intent to move. The results are out now in the October Rental Activity Report


MORE NEWS: 5 things renters should know before signing a lease


Chandler and Peoria are once again among the top 30 most sought-after cities by renters. Demand has intensified, leading to a significant drop in listing availability of 3% in Chandler. In Peoria, the decrease was even steeper — a whopping 29%. Moreover, the increased listings engagement helped these cities in Phoenix metro climb the highest they’ve ever been. In October, Chandler emerged as America’s 13th most in-demand city, while Peoria ranks 23rd.  

Here are more highlights about Chandler and Peoria: 

  • Renters added 353% more properties in Chandler to their favorites list compared to last October. Plus, the number of pages views increased by 72% than one year ago.  
  • On top of a limited number of apartments, high listings engagement resulted in an 88% rise in page views for Peoria properties compared to this time last year. Moreover, renters saved 56% more personalized searches.  
  • Where is the demand coming from? A significant number of renters are shifting their apartment search focus towards suburban locations with convenient access to urban amenities. So, it’s no surprise that Chandler and Peoria have become increasingly popular among renters. The highest interest in Chandler and Peoria comes from renters in Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa and Tempe. In addition to renters in the metro area, Chandler has also seen growing interest from apartment seekers in Los Angeles. 
  • The increased popularity helped Chandler become the second most sought-after city in the West, with Peoria ranking fifth. In fact, the West is the second most appealing region for renters — after the Midwest — with seven cities on our list. Most of these cities are suburban locations that offer easy access to transit and big-city amenities. 
  • Chandler and Peoria were last in the top 30 during the peak rental season in August, when Chandler ranked 20th and Peoria ranked 29th. In fact, that was the only time three cities in the Phoenix metro featured in the top 30, with Gilbert joining in at #22. 
  • Zooming out, Queens, NY, was the most sought-after city by renters in October. This rise is highlighted by a stark 72% year-over-year decline in available listings in Queens, the sharpest decrease among 150 U.S. cities. As listing views nearly tripled, renters added 127% more properties to their favorites and saved 19% more personalized searches year-over-year. 

Chandler and Peoria are not the only cities to experience an impressive climb this month. Buffalo, NY, made an impressive leap of 70 spots to reach #9. Meanwhile, Mobile, AL, is the only Southern newcomer in the top 30 after climbing 32 spots. See all the changes here:   

https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/rentcafe-rental-activity-report/