Top 50 US cities by median monthly rent (Zillow ZORI), population 25,000+.
Renting in these markets is its own form of buying. The math on rent vs. buy (see each city's Rent-vs-Buy verdict) often tilts toward owning when rent exceeds ~3% of a comparable home value annually.
Highest-rent markets concentrate in coastal California, NYC, Miami, and high-cost tech hubs.
1Los Altos, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 30,86467Rising$4,681,519median home$7,055/momedian rent
2Saratoga, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 30,48664Rising$4,209,301median home$6,366/momedian rent
3Southlake, TXDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington · pop 31,50072Rising$1,313,920median home$6,092/momedian rent
4Manhattan Beach, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 33,45363Rising$3,260,960median home$5,540/momedian rent
5Rancho Palos Verdes, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 40,06454Stable$1,839,441median home$5,464/momedian rent
6Parkland, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 39,70067Rising$1,067,944median home$5,228/momedian rent
7Paramus, NJNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 26,78673Rising$1,051,071median home$5,000/momedian rent
8University Park, TXDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington · pop 25,26878Hot$2,461,469median home$4,669/momedian rent
9Danville, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 43,41047Cooling$1,915,125median home$4,292/momedian rent
10Dana Point, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 32,58572Rising$1,738,852median home$4,285/momedian rent
12East Palo Alto, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 29,29634Cooling$1,037,416median home$4,218/momedian rent
13Encinitas, CASan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad · pop 61,13769Rising$1,931,548median home$4,217/momedian rent
14San Carlos, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 29,40362Rising$2,476,617median home$4,213/momedian rent
15Ridgewood, NJNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 26,70177Rising$1,226,046median home$4,183/momedian rent
16Newport Beach, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 82,97078Hot$3,709,420median home$4,177/momedian rent
17Palo Alto, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 67,65862Rising$3,683,761median home$4,170/momedian rent
18San Juan Capistrano, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 35,46972Rising$1,350,021median home$4,164/momedian rent
19Menlo Park, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 33,04066Rising$2,867,595median home$4,117/momedian rent
20San Francisco, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 827,52651Stable$1,369,171median home$4,101/momedian rent
21Cupertino, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 58,71065Rising$3,183,398median home$4,086/momedian rent
22Mountain View, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 87,31662Rising$2,029,113median home$4,077/momedian rent
23Santa Barbara, CASanta Maria-Santa Barbara · pop 87,29166Rising$1,854,699median home$4,070/momedian rent
24Beverly Hills, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 31,02751Stable$3,672,505median home$4,051/momedian rent
26Yorba Linda, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 66,48966Rising$1,420,707median home$3,977/momedian rent
27New York, NYNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 8,478,07262Rising$816,078median home$3,927/momedian rent
28Foster City, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 32,65754Stable$1,908,757median home$3,922/momedian rent
29Long Beach, NYNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 34,77770Rising$797,398median home$3,899/momedian rent
30South San Francisco, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 64,66055Stable$1,238,304median home$3,872/momedian rent
31Hoboken, NJNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 59,14954Stable$852,673median home$3,865/momedian rent
32Redwood City, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 82,98256Stable$1,894,827median home$3,804/momedian rent
34La Quinta, CARiverside-San Bernardino-Ontario · pop 39,90761Stable$748,855median home$3,788/momedian rent
35Los Gatos, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 32,95263Rising$2,705,565median home$3,784/momedian rent
36Novato, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 52,31150Stable$1,082,949median home$3,752/momedian rent
37Santa Clara, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 133,13265Rising$1,766,558median home$3,727/momedian rent
39Walnut, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 27,25059Stable$1,195,691median home$3,638/momedian rent
40Cerritos, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 46,85163Rising$1,094,310median home$3,636/momedian rent
41Sunnyvale, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 156,79262Rising$2,144,024median home$3,628/momedian rent
42Cooper City, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 35,54162Rising$668,684median home$3,623/momedian rent
43Weston, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 70,67457Stable$728,193median home$3,615/momedian rent
44Santa Monica, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 90,72945Cooling$1,711,898median home$3,606/momedian rent
45Coral Gables, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 50,37972Rising$1,530,987median home$3,604/momedian rent
46Pacifica, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 37,05646Cooling$1,277,575median home$3,597/momedian rent
47Santa Cruz, CASanta Cruz-Watsonville · pop 62,58157Stable$1,357,178median home$3,585/momedian rent
48Cambridge, MABoston-Cambridge-Newton · pop 121,18656Stable$1,041,988median home$3,584/momedian rent
49Eastvale, CARiverside-San Bernardino-Ontario · pop 70,75165Rising$949,781median home$3,568/momedian rent
50Glen Cove, NYNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 28,08873Rising$810,158median home$3,561/momedian rent
Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census place population. State tax data from Tax Foundation.