Henry Jo
Henry Jo is a housing analyst covering rent data, affordability, city comparisons, and much more. He started following rental data while apartment hunting in two cities at once, and he lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Published Articles (97)
The most and least predictable rental markets in America
Some rental markets are steady enough to plan around and others whipsaw. Eleven years of our data shows Tampa swinging 41% in a single year …
She wanted to leave an expensive city. Then she found the “cheap” ones aren’t cheap anymore
A woman who left Seattle for Michigan says she was shocked that cheap places aren't cheap. Our data says she's right, and the reason is that…
In 7 of 8 major metros, the top suburb now costs more to rent than the city
Renters still assume moving to the suburbs saves money. We checked eight well-known suburb and city pairs, and in seven of them the suburb i…
Chicago rent is up 55% since 2015, and the sharpest jump came this year
Chicago rent has risen 55% since 2015, from $1,552 to $2,409. Most of the pain was gradual, but the largest one-year jump of the whole stret…
Getting a loan to pay rent: preference or desperation?
Pay-later lenders now finance rent, and the industry says it's meeting demand. Half of borrowers say they couldn't make ends meet otherwise,…
Boomers and Gen Z didn't enter the same rental market. Half of renters are now cost-burdened.
The generational complaint about rent holds up, though not for the reason most people give. The typical renter still pays about a third of i…
College town rents are cooling as student housing floods in, but a few still climb
A wave of purpose-built student housing is pulling rents down in college towns like Ann Arbor and College Station. A handful, including Stat…
Airbnb sends Salt Lake City cease and desist over alleged fake booking accounts
Airbnb accused Salt Lake City of using fake guest accounts to catch short-term rental hosts breaking a new ordinance. The fight is really ab…
Seattle bans pet rent and other rental junk fees, but not until 2027
Seattle's council banned pet rent, package fees and other add-on charges in an 8-0 vote. The rules don't take effect until July 1, 2027, whi…
Houston rent looks cheap until you compare it with local incomes
Affording the typical Houston apartment takes about $62,680 a year. The median Houston household earns $64,813, which clears the bar by a sl…
What You Need to Apply for an Apartment: Documents, Fees, and the Process
From photo ID and pay stubs to the 3x income rule and screening timelines, here is exactly what landlords ask for and how the application pr…
California's rent caps now run 8.1% to 8.8%, while Santa Monica caps increases at 2.6%
California's new rent caps took effect August 1, ranging from 8.1% to 8.8% by region. Local rules go much further, with Santa Monica limitin…
Paying rent with a credit card can cost renters more than $700 a year
Card processing fees on rent typically run 2.5% to 3%, so paying a $1,951 rent by card costs about $57 extra every month. The math only work…
Income rose faster than Rent in 14 large US cities
Household income grew faster than rent in 14 large US cities in the latest year both datasets cover. The list is dominated by Sun Belt metro…
Pet rent can add $800 to $1,400 to a renter’s first-year costs
Pet rent commonly runs $25 to $75 a month per animal, and a one-time deposit or fee adds $200 to $500, so the first year with a single pet o…
Rent got easier to afford in Oakland and Seattle, but worse in cheaper US cities
Of 155 large US cities, 108 saw rent take a bigger bite of local income since 2020. The ones that improved are mostly expensive coastal metr…
City vs. Suburbs: Where Renters Actually Pay Less
Moving one town over saves about $2,003 a month near New York but only $118 near Denver. Here is where the suburb discount is real.
Cleveland was Affordable until Outsiders with Bigger Budgets Moved In. Locals are Being Priced Out.
Cleveland rent rose 50.8% since January 2020 against a national 33.3%, while local income grew 32%. The cheapest Rust Belt cities rose harde…
Fair Market Rent (HUD) isn't the Market Rate, and in Phoenix it's 29% Higher
In Phoenix the HUD-derived two-bedroom figure runs about 29% above actual market rent, while in New York it runs about 27% below. Here is wh…
The True Cost of Renting: Why Rent Is Only Part of Your Monthly Bill
The rent line is only the start. See how utilities, insurance, deposits, and fees turn a $1,951 rent into a $2,300-plus monthly bill and a $…
San Francisco Rent Is Up 50% From Its Pandemic Floor, Three Years After the Doom Loop Talk
San Francisco rent has risen 50.2% from its pandemic floor and sits 25.1% above January 2020. Our trend model puts the city further above it…
What $2,000 a Month Rents Across America: A Studio in San Francisco or a 3-Bedroom in Wichita
The same $2,000 budget does not cover a studio in San Francisco yet rents a three-bedroom house in Wichita. Here is what it buys across 19 U…
A New York Studio Now Takes a $125,000 Salary, Putting a Burden on New College Grads
New York City asking rents reached a seven-year high this spring. At a median studio rent of $3,116, affording one alone would take roughly …
Studio vs. One-Bedroom: Is the Upgrade Worth the Money?
In some cities the jump from a studio to a one-bedroom is nearly free; in others it costs hundreds a month. Here is the premium in 13 major …
Renters Insurance: What It Covers and Whether You Actually Need It
For roughly $15 to $20 a month, renters insurance protects thousands of dollars of belongings and shields you from a liability claim. Here i…
A California Rental Wants $200 More a Month If You Work From Home
A furnished ADU in Walnut Creek, California lists for $3,250 a month, plus $200 more if you work from home. A landlord group calls it utilit…
What Is a Good Rent-to-Income Ratio?
The 30 percent rule is the standard rent benchmark, but it is measured against gross income and many renters in expensive metros already spe…
National Rent Report: U.S. Rents Rose 0.4% Across the Nation in June 2026, Led by Coastal Cities
The typical US rent rose about 0.4% (roughly $8) from May to June 2026 and is up 3.6% year over year. San Francisco led with a $148 monthly …
Rent Freezes, Caps, and Bans on Pricing Software: Will Any of It Actually Lower Rent?
A wave of rent freezes, caps, and bans on pricing algorithms is spreading across the country. We weigh what each one actually does, and what…
America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes for Renters, Where Rent Tops $10,000 a Month
The most expensive ZIP codes in the country for renters read like a map of celebrity and old-money enclaves, from Montecito to Beverly Hills…
Virginia Renters Now Get 14 Days to Pay Late Rent Before Eviction, Up From 5
Virginia's House Bill 15 extends the window renters have to pay overdue rent before a landlord can start eviction from 5 days to 14. A state…
Why Every Rent Report Gives a Different Number, and Which One to Trust
One city, five rent reports, five different numbers. Here is what each major source actually measures, why they disagree, and which one to t…
Average Rent by State: From $1,206 in Iowa to $3,612 in New York
Rent varies nearly threefold across the US. Here is the average rent in all 50 states, from the cheapest to the most expensive, with the dat…
New York Landlords Will Have to Disclose AI-Altered Rental Listings Under Mamdani's "Rental Ripoff" Plan
Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a 23-action Rental Ripoff Report shaped by testimony from 2,400 New Yorkers, requiring landlords to disclose A…
New York Renters Spend Half Their Income on Rent. These States Spend the Least.
The cheapest rent is not the most affordable rent. Ranked by the share of income that goes to rent, the most affordable states are not where…
Boston Rents Have Fallen for 13 Straight Months as New Supply Loosens the Market
Boston renters are catching a rare break: 13 straight months of year-over-year declines, with the average apartment down to $2,930. Here is …
San Diego Rent Prices: What the Data Shows
San Diego rent has quietly passed Los Angeles. Here is what a place actually costs across the city and its suburbs, how far rent has climbed…
New Federal Housing Law Caps Investor Home Buying, and Institutional Investors are adjusting
A sweeping new housing law bars big investors from owning more than 350 single-family homes, but carves out build-to-rent. That is about to …
Indianapolis Rent Prices: What the Data Shows
Indianapolis is one of the most affordable big cities in the country, but the numbers come with a catch. Here is what rent costs across the …
Manhattan and Brooklyn Rents Hit Record Highs, and the Squeeze Is Spreading to the Outer Boroughs
New York City rents set new records in June, with a Manhattan median of $5,295. The pressure is now reaching Queens and the Bronx. Here is w…
Austin Rent Prices: What the Data Shows
Austin was the pandemic boomtown that everyone said was overpriced. The data now tells a different story: rents have cooled hard, and the ci…
Arizona Has the 3 Best Rental Markets in America, a New Study Finds. Our Data Agrees.
A new WalletHub study ranks Scottsdale, Gilbert, and Chandler the top three rental markets in the country. Our Rent Reality Score data indep…
Sacramento Rent Prices: What the Data Shows
Sacramento became the California exit valve for priced-out Bay Area renters, and the numbers show why. Here is what rent costs in 2026, how …
Half of Young Adults Still Live With Their Parents. The Rent Math Shows Why.
Nearly half of American adults under 30 now live with a parent, and moving home has shed its stigma. Our data on what it actually costs to l…
San Francisco Rent Tops $4,000 as the AI Hiring Boom Reheats the Bay Area
A resurgence in tech hiring and return-to-office mandates have pushed San Francisco rent past $4,000. Our data shows the whole Silicon Valle…
Massachusetts Court Throws Out Rent Control as Boston Rents Stay Among the Nation's Highest
Massachusetts' top court threw out a ballot question that would have restored statewide rent control, leaving renters facing some of the cou…
Seattle's Mayor Wants to Ban Rental 'Junk Fees'
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has proposed banning surprise rental fees, listing the charges landlords may collect and prohibiting the rest. He…
Pennsylvania Sends $224 Million in Property Tax and Rent Rebates to 372,000 Residents
Pennsylvania's Treasury sent $224.4 million in property tax and rent rebates to 372,291 residents. Here is who qualifies, the $1,000 cap, th…
What Salary Do You Need to Afford Rent in the Biggest US Cities?
Using June 2026 ZORI rents and the 30% rule, here is the salary you need to afford the median rent in 21 of the largest US cities, from $54,…
Cheapest Cities to Rent in California
California has no genuinely cheap big cities. Even the cheapest, Chico at $1,607, sits right at the national median. The affordable tier hid…
Can a Nurse Afford Rent in America's Biggest Cities?
Registered nurses earn well above the median, yet in five metros their rent still crosses the federal 30 percent burden line. San Francisco …
New York City Rent by Apartment Size
NYC rent in 2026 by apartment size: studio $2,625, one-bedroom $2,732, two-bedroom $3,032, three-bedroom $3,782, and four-bedroom or larger …
Can a Police Officer Afford Rent in the City They Serve? (2026)
A police officer in San Francisco spends 57.7% of pay on rent. We ran the rent-burden math for 21 major cities and found officers cross the …
As Bronx Rent Prices Keep Climbing, Priced-Out Residents Look to Connecticut and New Jersey
Bronx rents are up nearly 4% over the year and some longtime residents are weighing a move, according to News 12. The rent data shows where …
Richmond vs Arlington, Virginia: Rent Prices in 2026
Virginia two biggest rental draws sit at opposite ends of the math. Arlington costs nearly a thousand dollars more a month, yet it can be th…
San Francisco Rent by Apartment Size: Studio to 3-Bedroom (2026)
San Francisco rent splits into five very different numbers, from a $2,319 studio to a $4,505 four-bedroom. Here is what each apartment size …
Rent by ZIP Code: How to Find the Real Median for Any US ZIP
City averages are too blunt to plan a move around. Here is why ZIP-level rent data tells a truer story, what the numbers mean, and how to pu…
Chicago Rent by Apartment Size: Studio to 3-Bedroom (2026)
Chicago rent is climbing faster than almost any other big city right now. Here is what a studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom…
Los Angeles Rent by Apartment Size: Studio, 1-Bedroom, 2-Bedroom and Up (2026)
The citywide median rent in Los Angeles hides a huge spread. Here is what a studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and larger actually cost in 20…
Best Cities for Chinese-Americans to Rent in 2026
Chinese-American communities cluster in a few well-defined corridors, from the San Gabriel Valley to Silicon Valley to Plano. Rent and incom…
Do You Need a Cosigner or Guarantor to Rent an Apartment?
A cosigner or guarantor can get you approved when your income or credit falls short, but the two are not the same thing, and the obligation …
Best Cities for Mexican-Americans to Rent in 2026
Mexican-Americans are the largest Hispanic group in the country, with deep-rooted communities from the Texas border to East LA to Chicago. R…
No Longer the Bargain? Charlotte Rent Prices in 2026
Charlotte rent sits at $1,727 and barely moved over the year. The Lake Norman suburbs carry a premium, Gastonia is the cheap option, and the…
Best Cities for Vietnamese-Americans to Rent
The Vietnamese-American community is the fourth-largest Asian-American group in the United States and one of the most geographically concent…
Cheapest Cities to Rent in Texas
Texas is home to some of the cheapest rental markets of any major Sun Belt state, but the range is wide and the cheap cities are not all equ…
Best Cities for Indian-Americans to Rent in 2026
The Indian-American community is one of the most geographically concentrated of any ethnic group in the United States, clustered around a ha…
What's a Normal Rent Per Month?
"Normal" rent depends entirely on where you live. Across 30 major US cities tracked by RentDataNow, the average one-bedroom rent is $1,515 a…
Are Rent Prices Falling in the US?
The short answer is: in some cities, yes. In others, no, and in a few, rents are rising faster than they have in years. The national picture…
Best Cities for Single Renters in 2026
The rent math for single renters is more challenging than it looks. Household income figures include dual-income couples, which inflates the…
Detroit Rent Looks Cheap. The Wages Tell a Different Story.
Detroit's median rent is $1,338 a month. A one-bedroom averages $987. Compared to almost anywhere on a national rent map, those numbers look…
Miami Rent by Neighborhood: Where to Find Deals 2026
Miami's citywide median rent is $3,001 a month, but that number hides a spread from $1,610 one-bedrooms in Little Haiti to $2,990 in Brickel…
How Much of Your Income Should Go to Rent?
The standard answer is 30%. Keep rent under 30% of your gross income and you're financially responsible. Keep it above and you're cost-burde…
Houston Rent Prices by Neighborhood in 2026
Houston's citywide median rent is $1,541 a month, down 1.1% year over year. It's the second-largest city in Texas and one of the few major m…
Red Flags in an Apartment Listing That Should Make You Walk Away
Most apartment listings are written by landlords or property managers whose job is to fill a vacancy, not to give you a complete picture of …
Los Angeles Rent Has Risen 22% in 5 Years. Here's What Else That Changed.
Between 2021 and 2026, Los Angeles got more expensive, less populated, and more educated. Median rent went from $2,250 to $2,753, up 22.4%. …
Chicago Rent Prices by Neighborhood in 2026
Chicago's citywide median rent is $2,328 a month, up 7.43% year over year, one of the fastest-appreciating major cities in the country right…
Phoenix Rent in 2026: How the Market has Changed Since 2021
Between 2021 and 2026, Phoenix went through one of the more complete cycles any major rental market has experienced in recent memory. Rents …
San Francisco Rent Prices by Neighborhood in 2026
San Francisco's citywide median rent is $3,958 a month, up 17.03% year over year. That's the sharpest annual increase of any major city in t…
Dallas Rent Prices by Neighborhood in 2026
Dallas's citywide median rent is $1,606 a month, but that number hides a spread from $803 one-bedrooms in Lake Highlands to $2,470 in Highla…
Best Cities for Family Renters in 2026
Renting with a family changes the math in a few important ways. You need a two or three-bedroom, which means the studio and one-bedroom aver…
Where Rent Dropped the Most in the Last Year
The national rent narrative of the past year has been muddier than it sounds. Some cities have seen meaningful declines that are tangible fo…
Best Cities for Renters Under 30
Renting in your 20s involves a specific set of tradeoffs that don't show up in a standard cost-of-living calculator. You need rent low enoug…
Rent vs. Income: How 7 Major Cities Changed Between 2021 and 2026
RentDataNow tracks five-year changes in median rent, median household income, population, and renter share for cities across the country. Th…
Los Angeles Rent Prices by Neighborhood in 2026
Los Angeles's citywide median rent is $2,753 a month, but that number flattens out a market where a one-bedroom in Koreatown runs $2,250 and…
Chicago Rent Prices in 2026
Chicago's median rent hit $2,328 a month in March 2026, up 7.43% year over year. That's the sharpest annual increase of any major Midwest ci…
Most Rent-Burdened Cities in the US: 2026 Rankings
The Census Bureau defines a cost-burdened household as one spending more than 30% of gross income on rent. Severely cost-burdened is 50% or …
Cities Where You Can Be a Baller on a Budget
Most rental content is written for people who are already losing. Tips for how to afford San Francisco. Guides on splitting a New York two-b…
Nashville Rent Prices in 2026: What the Data Actually Shows
Nashville's reputation as an affordable Sun Belt city no longer matches the data.
New York City Rent Prices in 2026: What the Data Shows by Borough and Neighborhood
New York City is not one rental market. It is five boroughs, hundreds of neighborhoods, and rent prices that range from $1,500 a month in pa…
The 10 Most Affordable ZIP Codes to Rent in Atlanta Right Now
Atlanta's median rent sits around $1,591 a month citywide, but that number covers a massive range. The most expensive ZIP codes in the city …
Landlord Red Flags Every Renter Should Know Before Signing
Finding a good apartment takes effort. Finding a good landlord takes a different kind of attention. Here are the warning signs to take serio…
Renewing Your Lease vs. Signing Somewhere New: How to Actually Decide
Renewal time is one of the highest-stakes moments in renting, and most tenants handle it passively. They wait for the landlord's notice, sca…
How Remote Work Changed Where Americans Rent
No single factor reshaped the American rental market over the past five years more than remote work. It untethered millions of people from t…
How to Write a Pet Policy in a Lease Agreement
Pet policies are one of the most commonly disputed areas of landlord-tenant law. Tenants want clarity on what is allowed and what it will co…
How to Compare Two Cities Before You Move (Using RentDataNow's Compare Tool)
Rent alone doesn't tell you whether a city is affordable for you. It doesn't tell you how the populations compare, what the median income lo…
Why So Many People Are Stuck Renting Longer Than They Planned
Most people who rent don't plan to rent forever. A survey by Apartment List found that 87 percent of Gen Z and millennial renters still cons…
Atlanta Rent Prices in 2026: What the Data Actually Shows
Atlanta rents have been moving in two directions at once depending on who you ask and what data you look at. The city-wide headline numbers …