Atlanta Most Sought-After City by Renters in April

According to a new report from RentCafe, renting is now the new buying trend as high home prices and the spring season bring out more renters looking for apartments. A new analysis reveals which cities are seeing the most listing activity and attracting the most attention from apartment hunters.

The popular Atlanta metro claimed the top spot as the most sought-after city by renters in April 2023, followed by Kansas City, MO, and Albuquerque, NM. Apartment listings in these cities saw the most engagement this month, with high rates of rental properties saved to favorites, personalized searches, scarce unit availability, and overall high listing views.

Detroit makes an entry at number four, showing signs of revival and growth. Rounding up the top five, Manhattan holds its status as a perennial top favorite for renters despite its high cost of living.

Top 10 Most-Desired Cities

1. Atlanta

Atlanta is the most desired city by renters in April, buzzing with rental activity on RentCafe.com. Apartment hunters in Atlanta added twice as many listings to their favorites lists compared to this time last year. Moreover, rental listings in Atlanta attracted some of the highest traffic and high rates of saved searches from renters looking on RentCafe.com for a place to live, which helped this charming city go straight to the top of our ranking this month.

2. Kansas City, MO

Kansas City is the runner-up in April’s most in-demand cities for renting on RentCafe.com. KCMO made it on the leaderboard after jumping an impressive 27 spots from last month’s ranking. Furthermore, renters in Kansas City saved 87% more personalized searches on RentCafe.com compared to one year ago.

3. Albuquerque, NM

New Mexico’s largest city is the third most in-demand renting location this month. The number of rental listings in Albuquerque added to favorites increased seven times year-over-year. There were also 66% more listing views than one year ago — the highest increase among the cities included in our research.

4. Detroit

This Midwestern city saw the most spectacular evolution this month, jumping a whopping 84 spots to land in fourth place. Saved personalized searches for apartments in Detroit increased by nearly 150% year-over-year, while renters favorited five times more apartments. There was also a 19% rise in traffic on listings pages in the city.

5. Manhattan, NY

We wrap up our top five most in-demand places for renters this month with Manhattan, a place that is consistently seeing a high volume of searches on RentCafe.com. This New York City borough seems to be making a comeback as a top favorite for renters with a quick rise in the number of apartments saved to favorites on Rentcafe.com, eight times more than one year ago. Manhattan's desirability is confirmed by a 17% drop in available listings and the 31% jump in saved personalized searches for listings.

6. Denver

Apartments in Denver saw the sixth highest interest from renters in April. Often described as a nature lover’s paradise, this growing city continues to attract renters, thanks to its dynamic job market and a myriad of outdoor activities. Denver apartments saw high engagement metrics this month, as renters favorited five times more listings than last April. Apartment hunters in Denver also saved 54% more personalized searches for apartments than this time last year.

7. Arlington, VA

The city on the Potomac River made its way to April's top 10 thanks to attractive job opportunities, a great location offering easy commutes to D.C. and the Tysons Corner job cluster, and high income. The number of Arlington apartments added to favorites lists by renters doubled year-over-year, while apartment seekers saved 63% more personalized searches for listings on RentCafe.com.

8. Memphis, TN

Renters’ increased interest in this city on the Mississippi River led to Memphis grabbing the eighth place in our April ranking. More precisely, the number of apartments in Memphis favorited by renters quadrupled year-over-year, as views of listings in the city rose by 30%. Renters also saved 42% more personalized searches for Memphis apartments on RentCafe.com.

9. Orlando, FL

Apartment listings in this Florida city regularly attract a high volume of searches on RentCafe.com. Often viewed as a more affordable living option than Miami or Tampa, FL, Orlando has become a great place for young professionals and families looking for a good mix of job opportunities and leisure activities. The number of favorited listings in Orlando nearly tripled compared to a year ago.

10. Durham, NC

Durham is known for its growing job opportunities in the tech sector and is appreciated for its authenticity and good food. Renters perusing RentCafe.com for Durham apartments favorited eight times as many apartments compared to a year prior.

To read the full report, including more data, charts and methodology, click here.