Gen Z Renters Eschew Big Cities, Seek Smaller, More Affordable Towns: Report
Originally published on March 4, 2021 by Sanziana Bana for RentCafe.com.
Vibrant Small Towns in America’s Heartland Are the Top Trending Locations for Gen Z
The downtown life in big coastal cities is so last decade. That’s according to the latest data that shows small towns in the heartland are newly trending for Gen Z renters. This is especially noteworthy because Zoomers were the fastest-growing active renter segment in the U.S. last year, and their locations of choice are just the opposite of their Millennial predecessors.
According to the most recent national apartment application data, the share of Gen Z renters jumped by 36% in 2020 compared to the prior year. At the same time, the number of apartment applicants from every other generation decreased. So, to identify what types of locations Gen Z prefers, we ranked cities by the highest share of applications for rent from this age group, as well as the highest year-over-year increase in Gen Z applicants.