Cities with population 50,000+ where median rent is up more than 5% year over year.
Fast-rising rents usually signal tight rental supply, strong job growth, or in-migration. Whatever the cause, tenants in these markets face tougher renewal terms each year.
These markets also tend to be attractive to small landlords — rent growth supports cash flow even when home appreciation slows.
1Abilene, TXAbilene · pop 130,50175Rising$214,916median home+42.4%rent YoY 2San Francisco, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 827,52651Stable$1,369,171median home+16.4%rent YoY 3Youngstown, OHYoungstown-Warren-Boardman · pop 59,12375Rising$71,351median home+13.1%rent YoY 4Lake Charles, LALake Charles · pop 81,15749Stable$204,081median home+12.8%rent YoY 5Cedar Rapids, IACedar Rapids · pop 137,90467Rising$210,271median home+12.2%rent YoY 6Janesville, WIJanesville-Beloit · pop 66,42877Rising$292,557median home+11.4%rent YoY 7Warwick, RIProvidence-Warwick · pop 83,55474Rising$419,036median home+11.2%rent YoY 8Port Arthur, TXBeaumont-Port Arthur · pop 55,79957Stable$127,175median home+10.5%rent YoY 9Brooklyn Park, MNMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington · pop 82,89361Stable$351,849median home+9.9%rent YoY 10Springfield, OHSpringfield · pop 58,13875Rising$190,032median home+9.9%rent YoY 11Joplin, MOJoplin · pop 53,60571Rising$202,523median home+9.7%rent YoY 12Logan, UTLogan · pop 56,77073Rising$395,033median home+8.7%rent YoY 13Dearborn, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 106,37771Rising$248,262median home+8.5%rent YoY 14Reno, NVReno · pop 281,71466Rising$570,934median home+8.4%rent YoY 15Utica, NYUtica-Rome · pop 63,66078Hot$205,924median home+8.4%rent YoY 16Mission Viejo, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · pop 91,60166Rising$1,230,115median home+8.2%rent YoY 17Lorain, OHCleveland-Elyria · pop 65,75173Rising$154,076median home+8.0%rent YoY 18Bismarck, NDBismarck · pop 77,77274Rising$373,227median home+8.0%rent YoY 19Sparks, NVReno · pop 111,52062Rising$530,668median home+7.9%rent YoY 20New Bedford, MAProvidence-Warwick · pop 101,31872Rising$439,767median home+7.8%rent YoY 21Wyoming, MIGrand Rapids-Kentwood · pop 78,55975Rising$292,642median home+7.6%rent YoY 23Grand Forks, NDGrand Forks · pop 59,84572Rising$295,824median home+7.5%rent YoY 24Parma, OHCleveland-Elyria · pop 79,35073Rising$215,651median home+7.4%rent YoY 25Brownsville, TXBrownsville-Harlingen · pop 191,96773Rising$196,920median home+7.3%rent YoY 26Stillwater, OKStillwater · pop 50,13873Rising$266,352median home+7.3%rent YoY 27Kentwood, MIGrand Rapids-Kentwood · pop 54,76873Rising$336,682median home+7.3%rent YoY 28Newport News, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 183,05668Rising$294,407median home+7.2%rent YoY 29Palo Alto, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 67,65862Rising$3,683,761median home+7.1%rent YoY 30Elkhart, INElkhart-Goshen · pop 53,69074Rising$225,802median home+6.9%rent YoY 31Berwyn, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 55,15269Rising$311,375median home+6.9%rent YoY 32Rockford, ILRockford · pop 147,48681Hot$180,220median home+6.8%rent YoY 33Daly City, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · pop 101,41848Stable$1,134,511median home+6.8%rent YoY 34Norfolk, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 231,10563Rising$310,519median home+6.8%rent YoY 35Chesapeake, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 254,99771Rising$422,528median home+6.7%rent YoY 36Harrisonburg, VAHarrisonburg · pop 51,16468Rising$352,622median home+6.6%rent YoY 37Springfield, ILSpringfield · pop 112,94972Rising$168,312median home+6.6%rent YoY 38Cupertino, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 58,71065Rising$3,183,398median home+6.5%rent YoY 39Evansville, INEvansville · pop 115,39571Rising$200,657median home+6.4%rent YoY 40Dothan, ALDothan · pop 71,65070Rising$205,339median home+6.4%rent YoY 42Chicago, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 2,721,30863Rising$324,183median home+6.3%rent YoY 43Manhattan, KSManhattan · pop 54,70070Rising$291,280median home+6.3%rent YoY 44Great Falls, MTGreat Falls · pop 60,01374Rising$337,690median home+6.2%rent YoY 45Coon Rapids, MNMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington · pop 63,80767Rising$334,911median home+6.2%rent YoY 46Suffolk, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 103,10574Rising$386,146median home+6.1%rent YoY 47Albany, GAAlbany · pop 66,70554Stable$131,279median home+6.1%rent YoY 48Santa Clara, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · pop 133,13265Rising$1,766,558median home+6.1%rent YoY 49Oak Lawn, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 56,53171Rising$286,028median home+6.0%rent YoY 50Paterson, NJNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 160,46376Rising$527,542median home+6.0%rent YoY Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.