Renters wanting to stay fit in The Valley need to look to the suburbs. That’s because Phoenix offers fewer options, with only 49 percent of rental buildings being equipped with a fitness center.
That’s revealed by RENTCafe.com’s latest study where it looked at how the gym gradually became a given amenity in new rental developments, from a 29 percent share in the 1970s, to 89 percent in the 2010s.
Here are the highlights for those who want to stay fit with a focus on the Valley:
• RENTCafe looked at the 30 largest U.S. cities and compared the average rent in buildings with gyms and the overall city average rent. The difference is a $97 in the case of Phoenix. This means that while the average city rent is $1,114, the average rent for buildings with gyms is $1,211.
• Luckily, Phoenix’s suburbs boast a greater share of buildings with gyms. Chandler and Gilbert lead, both with an 89 percent share of apartment buildings with a gym. Renters generally spend $1,370 on rent in Chandler, and $1,316 in Gilbert.
• Avondale is third, based on its 82 percent share of buildings with a fitness center. The average rent here is cheaper, $1,224, just $13 more than the citywide average of $1,211.
• Worse-off is Glendale, where only 40 percent of apartment buildings have gyms. To rent in one, you’d have to spend an extra $92, compared to overall city average rent of $1,019.
In the survey researchers conducted of renters looking for apartments on RENTCafe.com, 47 percent of respondents stated that they are interested in having a gym on-premises. Only 28 percent declared it’s a dealbreaker if their building doesn’t come with a gym and out of these, 32 percent are willing to spend no more than $100 in extra rent costs for this amenity.
To see how Phoenix compares to other cities in the U.S., you can access the full report here: https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/apartmentliving/lifestyle-apartmentliving/apartment-buildings-with-gyms-fitness-amenities/.
