Metro Phoenix falls on list of best U.S. cities to rent

Article originally posted on AZ Central on July 10, 2025

Metro Phoenix is losing its luster with renters, thanks to higher housing costs, slowing job growth and worsening air quality.

The Valley slipped to No. 94 on a list of best U.S. cities for renters, according to Yardi’s RentCafe research just released for April. Last year, the Phoenix area ranked No. 72 on the list.

“When looking for the best cities for renters in 2025, there are several key factors to keep in mind, like affordability, job opportunities and a strong sense of community,” said Adina Dragos of RentCafe.

Metro Phoenix’s cost of living is 6.2% above the national average as of April 2025. The national cost of living index is a compilation of cities’ housing, food and utility costs and set at 100, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research.

Job growth in the Phoenix area fell 0.3% over the past year, after climbing 2.2% during the same period the previous year.

The Valley’s air quality score is 70 now, compared to 18 in 2024.

RentCafe gave metro Phoenix a better mark for having more high-end and new apartments. It found 48.3% of all Valley apartments are upscale, and about 17% are new.

It also found that the “entrepreneurial spirit is thriving” in the Valley, with 202 business applications registered in April, compared to 188 in April 2024.

McKinney, Texas, claimed the top spot as the best city for renters in 2025, followed by Sarasota, Florida and Atlanta.

The worst cities for renters are Anaheim, California, Sunnyvale, California and Queens, New York, according to RentCafe.

RentCafe used data from Yardi Matrix, the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, GreatSchools and Environmental Protection Agency for its ranking.