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The 10 best and 10 worst cities for renters

The 10 best and 10 worst cities for renters

Jordan Pandy Business 05 Aug, 2026 Americas

WalletHub ranked the best and worst cities for renters, and the Sun Belt won big, with a number of Arizona cities ranking high on the list.

Aerial view of urban streets and shopping buildings at sunset.
Four of the 10 best cities for renters were in Arizona.

Jeremy Poland/Getty Images

  • WalletHub ranked nearly 200 cities based on rental market and quality of life.
  • Six of the 10 best cities to rent in are in the Sun Belt.
  • Arizona cities scored particularly high on the list.

The buy vs. rent pendulum is always swinging, but some cities cater better to those already set on renting.

WalletHub analyzed 182 markets based on two factors: rental market & affordability, and quality of life. Every city was graded on a 100-point scale using 21 metrics, like the share of renters and the job market.

The Midwest and Sun Belt have been duking it out for the title of best region to live in in recent years, but one Sun Belt state west of the Mississippi River made the biggest splash on WalletHub's list: Arizona.

On the whole, the state of Arizona hasn't been a popular choice, but for renters, it checks some important boxes. Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale, Arizona, all finished in the top five in quality-of-life rankings, with Scottsdale ranking first.

US News & World Report ranked Arizona 17th in employment, and according to WalletHub, a majority of renters in all three cities spend less than 22% of their income on rent.

As for the cities on the opposite end of the spectrum, unsurprisingly, they ranked low in rental market & affordability, and quality of life, with rankings not exceeding 123rd for either category.

Read below to see which cities are good for renters, and which ones aren't.

Worst cities for renters
Two weathered vacant houses with broken windows and overgrown yards stand along a quiet urban street.

Posnov/Getty Images

10. Shreveport, LA
Downtown Shreveport skyline rises behind a truss bridge and river at dusk with colorful reflected lights.
Shreveport, Louisiana.

Sean Pavone/Getty Images

Total score: 38.08

Rental market & affordability rank: 123

Quality of life rank: 179

9. Huntington, WV
Downtown streetscape with storefronts, mid-rise buildings, a small park, and autumn trees under a cloudy sky.
Huntington, West Virginia.

Posnov/Getty Images

Total score: 38.02

Rental market & affordability rank: 143

Quality of life rank: 172

8. Augusta, GA
Downtown August from overhead
Short-term rental prices in Augusta, Georgia, surge during Master's week.

Kruck20/Getty Images

Total score: 38.00

Rental market & affordability rank: 136

Quality of life rank: 180

7. New Orleans, LA
New Orleans at sunset.
New Orleans.

Larry Gibson/Getty Images

Total score: 36.51

Rental market & affordability rank: 154

Quality of life rank: 162

6. Newark, NJ
Illuminated downtown skyline reflects across a calm river at dusk under a cloud-filled sky.
Newark, New Jersey.

DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

Total score: 36.08

Rental market & affordability rank: 149

Quality of life rank: 169

5. Akron, OH
Downtown Fort Wayne skyline rises beyond a tree-lined parking lot under warm sunset clouds.
Akron, Ohio.

RudyBalasko/Getty Images

Total score: 34.38

Rental market & affordability rank: 170

Quality of life rank: 167

4. Memphis, TN
Downtown Memphis skyline and illuminated highway interchanges beside the Mississippi River at dusk.
Memphis.

John Coletti/Getty Images

Total score: 32.97

Rental market & affordability rank: 114

Quality of life rank: 182

3. Jackson, MS
Illuminated Mississippi State Capitol stands amid trees and downtown Jackson skyline at dusk.
Jackson, Mississippi.

SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images

Total score: 32.79

Rental market & affordability rank: 181

Quality of life rank: 146

2. Cleveland, OH
Downtown Cleveland skyline rises beside the Cuyahoga River with Terminal Tower and waterfront parks in warm light.
Cleveland.

Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images

Total score: 32.02

Rental market & affordability rank: 174

Quality of life rank: 178

1. Detroit, MI
Aerial view of downtown Detroit from over the Detroit River.

halbergman/Getty Images

Total score: 29.95

Rental market & affordability rank: 160

Quality of life rank: 181

Best cities for renters
Illuminated buildings and pedestrian railings reflect in a calm urban canal at blue hour.

DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

10. Amarillo, TX
The cityscape in Amarillo, Texas.
Amarillo, Texas.

DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

Total score: 60.18

Rental market & affordability rank: 20

Quality of life rank: 34

9. Sioux Falls, SD
Urban river flows beneath a bridge between downtown buildings at dusk under a clear blue sky.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

Total score: 62.33

Rental market & affordability rank: 1

Quality of life rank: 108

8. Huntsville, AL
Huntsville, Alabama, park and downtown cityscape at twilight.
Huntsville, Alabama.

Sean Pavone/Getty Images

Total score: 63.10

Rental market & affordability rank: 4

Quality of life rank: 38

7. Bismarck, ND
Aerial view of the North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck, North Dakota, on a dramatic overcast sunset with a red-tinted sky in the fall.
Bismarck, North Dakota.

halbergman/Getty Images

Total score: 63.60

Rental market & affordability rank: 3

Quality of life rank: 55

6. Peoria, AZ
Afternoon aerial view of the downtown skyline and surrounding housing of Peoria, Arizona.
Peoria, Arizona.

MattGush/Getty Images

Total score: 65.25

Rental market & affordability rank: 22

Quality of life rank: 2

5. Columbia, MD
Modern office and apartment buildings reflect in a calm lake beside autumn trees under a clear blue sky.
Columbia, Maryland.

DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

Total score: 65.80

Rental market & affordability rank: 2

Quality of life rank: 39

4. Overland Park, KS
Aerial view of an office district with mid-rise buildings, parking lots, roads, trees, and a clear blue sky.
Overland Park, Kansas.

Dee Liu/Getty Images

Total score: 66.94

Rental market & affordability rank: 9

Quality of life rank: 4

3. Chandler, AZ
Aerial view of a sunny urban business district with office buildings, streets, parking lots, palm trees, and distant mountains.
Chandler, Arizona.

MattGush/Getty Images

Total score: 67.20

Rental market & affordability rank: 11

Quality of life rank: 5

2. Gilbert, AZ
Aerial view of office buildings, parking lots, a water tower, and surrounding neighborhoods with mountains in the distance.
Gilbert, Arizona.

MattGush/Getty Images

Total score: 67.63

Rental market & affordability rank: 6

Quality of life rank: 9

1. Scottsdale, AZ
Aerial cityscape of Scottsdale, Arizona, under a colorful sunset sky.
Scottsdale, Arizona.

Jeremy Poland/Getty Images

Total score: 69.05

Rental market & affordability rank: 24

Quality of life rank: 1

Read the original article on Business Insider

Jordan Pandy

Source: Business Insider

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