News

10 US Cities With the Highest and Lowest Rent Prices for One-Bedroom Apartments: Report

Housing Report Suggests Rising Rents Could Lead To Home Market Turnaround
(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) RICHMOND, CA - JUNE 15: A 'for rent' sign is posted in front of a house on June 15, 2012 in Richmond, California. According to a report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, the tepid real estate market could see a turnaround with the price of rental properties surging and vacancies dropping from 10.6 percent in 2009 to 9.5 percent last year, the lowest level since 2002.

Rental prices have hit nearly $2,000 in the United States, but the figure could be higher or lower depending on the location.

The median price for a one-bedroom apartment rose by 1.6% year-over-year nationally to $1,534. However, this price can go up in some places, according to a recent report from the rental marketplace platform Zumper. The report analyzed rental prices of over one million active listings across 100 cities in the US.

Where One-Bedroom Rents Are Most Expensive

Of all cities in the US, New York City had the most expensive rent for a one-bedroom unit. The median price for a one-bedroom unit was $4,500, marking a 12.8% year-over-year increase from last year's $3,989. That is the second month in a row that New York City's rental prices reached an all-time high.

One factor behind New York City's soaring rental price is its shortage of available housing. The portion of rentals that were vacant and available in 2023 dropped to 1.4%, the lowest ever recorded since 1968, per the New York Times. A healthy housing vacancy rate should be somewhere between 5% to 8%.

Property owners must compete with renters to fill their vacancies, lacking units to meet the increasing demand. These conditions mean rents would likely see a moderate increase.

Per Zumper, the recent increase in demand could result from an increasing number of employers implementing return-to-office policies and the peak summer season.

Cities Where One-Bedroom Rents Are Highest and Lowest

Here are the cities where one-bedroom rents are highest, according to the report.

1. New York, NY

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $4,500

Year-Over-Year Increase: 12.80%

2. Jersey City, NJ

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $3,400

Year-Over-Year Increase: 1.50%

3. San Francisco, CA

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $3,160

Year-Over-Year Increase: 3.90%

4. Boston, MA

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $2,800

Year-Over-Year Increase: -2.10%

5. Miami, FL

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $2,790

Year-Over-Year Increase: 2.20%

In contrast, these five cities have the lowest median rent for one-bedroom units.

1. Akron OH

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $730

Year-Over-Year Increase: 1.40%

2. Wichita, KS

30Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $

Year-Over-Year Increase: 9.00%

3. Shreveport, LA

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $850

Year-Over-Year Increase: 13.30%

4. Oklahoma City, OK

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $900

Year-Over-Year Increase: 2.30%

5. Albuquerque, NM

Median Price for One-Bedroom Units: $920

Year-Over-Year Increase: -3.20%

READ NEXT: NYC to Turn One of Its Most Photographed Landmarks into a Condominium by 2026


Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics