Home prices in America rose about 20% nationwide last year, compared to 2020. In some cities, the pace was double that. The increase was driven by low mortgage rates and a desire of people to leave large cities with expensive home prices to other places where the median price of a home is lower. The migration also has been made possible by the fact that millions of Americans now work from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (This city has the most expensive houses in America.)
Rents rose rapidly last year too. Though rents rose in the 50 largest metropolitan areas, the city with the cheapest rents in America is Oklahoma City.
The median asking rents for apartments with zero to two bedrooms averaged an increase of 10.1% in 2021. The December increase reported by Realtor.com was much greater at 19.3% compared to the same month of 2020. This pushed the monthly median rent figure across America’s 50 largest cities to $1,781.
To find the 20 cities with the cheapest rents in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Realtor.com’s December Rental Data, which reviews rental data in the 50 largest metropolitan areas.
Rental figures also vary based on the size of the apartment. In December, the median rent of studio apartments was $1,462, up 18.6% ($230) year-over-year. The median was $1,651 for a one-bedroom, up 19.3% ($267), and $2,003 for a two-bedroom, up 19.1% ($320), according to Realtor.com.
In three markets, rents rose over 30% in December from the same month in 2020. These were Miami at 49.8% to $2,850, Tampa at 35.0% to $2,038, and Orlando at 34.1% to $1,807. (This is the city where people cannot afford to rent a place to live.)
The study also showed the median rent by city for December and covered all 50 cities. The lowest figure was Oklahoma City at $949, which was up 15.7%. No other city had a monthly rent figure of less than $1,000.
Click here for the 20 cities with the lowest rents
20. Raleigh, NC
> Median rent: $1,532
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +23.6%
[in-text-ad]
19. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
> Median rent: $1,527
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +11.0%
18. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
> Median rent: $1,503
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +18.1%
17. Pittsburgh, PA
> Median rent: $1,500
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +18.5%
[in-text-ad-2]
16. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
> Median rent: $1,435
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +20.1%
15. Richmond, VA
> Median rent: $1,419
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +18.2%
[in-text-ad]
14. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
> Median rent: $1,400
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +12.1%
24/7 Wall St.
13. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
> Median rent: $1,400
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +15.9%
12. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
> Median rent: $1,389
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +15.9%
[in-text-ad-2]
11. Cleveland-Elyria, OH
> Median rent: $1,352
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +16.9%
10. Rochester, NY
> Median rent: $1,333
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +11.1%
[in-text-ad]
9. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
> Median rent: $1,324
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +29.4%
24/7 Wall St.
8. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
> Median rent: $1,306
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +19.4%
7. St. Louis, MO-IL
> Median rent: $1,262
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +9.7%
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Birmingham-Hoover, AL
> Median rent: $1,249
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +22.2%
5. Columbus, OH
> Median rent: $1,247
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +14.1%
[in-text-ad]
4. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
> Median rent: $1,226
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +12.0%
24/7 Wall St.
3. Kansas City, MO-KS
> Median rent: $1,225
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +11.2%
2. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
> Median rent: $1,181
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +16.2%
[in-text-ad-2]
1. Oklahoma City, OK
> Median rent: $949
> Change from Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021: +15.7%
Take Charge of Your Retirement: Find the Right Financial Advisor For You in Minutes (Sponsor)
Retirement planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The key is finding professional guidance—and we’ve made it easier than ever for you to connect with the right financial advisor for your unique needs.
Here’s how it works:
1️ Answer a Few Simple Questions
Tell us a bit about your goals and preferences—it only takes a few minutes!
2️ Get Your Top Advisor Matches
This tool matches you with qualified advisors who specialize in helping people like you achieve financial success.
3️ Choose Your Best Fit
Review their profiles, schedule an introductory meeting, and select the advisor who feels right for you.
Why wait? Start building the retirement you’ve always dreamed of. Click here to get started today!
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
Our expert who first called NVIDIA in 2009 is predicting 2025 will see a historic AI breakthrough.
You can follow him investing $500,000 of his own money on our top AI stocks for free.