U.S. Cities Where Rent Prices Are Increasing the Fastest

Asian couple moving in new house.

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Asian couple moving in new house.
staticnak1983/istockphoto

Climbing High

It’s old news that rent is out of control in this country, but exactly where is it rising the fastest? What parts of our country are already slipping away in terms of affordability? 


To better understand where rent is rising the fastest in the U.S., Highland Cabinetry assembled a report based on data the company analyzed from Zillow, Numbeo, and the U.S. Census, as any self-respecting cabinetry company would. The report ranks 80 cities based on the rent growth rate, which compares rent increases between January 2024 and December 2024. The breakdown also includes other factors, including a cost-of-living score, median household income, income increases, and other key economic details about each city.


Here are the top 30 cities where rent costs are increasing the fastest, according to the report.  


Note: The data source is live and may fluctuate.

Fresno, California
DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto

1. Fresno, California

Population: 520,052

Median Household Income: $66,804 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,395 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,850 


Rent Growth in 2024: 32.62% 

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA Downtown Skyline
Kruck20/istockphoto

2. Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Population: 241,218

Median Household Income: $54,416 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,270

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,495 


Rent Growth in 2024: 17.72% 

Downtown Overland Park Kansas
MattGush/istockphoto

3. Overland Park, Kansas

Population: 186,515

Median Household Income: $103,838 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,750 

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,050 


Rent Growth in 2024: 17.14% 

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA skyline on the White River
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

4. Indianapolis

Population: 829,718

Median Household Income: $62,995 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,325 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,450


Rent Growth in 2024: 9.43% 

Omaha Nebraska
Matt Bills/istockphoto

5. Omaha, Nebraska

Population: 443,885

Median Household Income: $72,708 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,400

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,526 


Rent Growth in 2024: 9.00% 

Stockton
MattGush/istockphoto

6. Stockton, California

Population: 305,658

Median Household Income: $76,851 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,800 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,950 


Rent Growth in 2024: 8.33% 

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Skyline
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

7. Cincinnati

Population: 296,943

Median Household Income: $51,707

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,295 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,400 


Rent Growth in 2024: 8.11% 

Anaheim, California
MattGush / istockphoto

8. Anaheim, California

Population: 353,400

Median Household Income: $90,583

Average Rent in January 2024: $2,500 

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,700 


Rent Growth in 2024: 8.00% 

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Faina Gurevich/istockphoto

9. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Population: 559,121

Median Household Income: $65,604 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,500 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,616 


Rent Growth in 2024: 7.73% 

Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
HaizhanZheng/istockphoto

10. Pittsburgh

Population: 303,034

Median Household Income: $64,137

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,400

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,500


Rent Growth in 2024: 7.14% 

Brownsville, Texas
DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto

11. Brownsville, Texas

Population: 183,887

Median Household Income: $46,735

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,400 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,500


Rent Growth in 2024: 7.14% 

Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

12. Louisville, Kentucky

Population: 622,981

Median Household Income: $64,731

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,250 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,338 


Rent Growth in 2024: 7.04% 

Lexington, KY Downtown Aerial View With Clouds And Blue Sky
Davel5957/istockphoto

13. Lexington, Kentucky

Population: 314,488

Median Household Income: $66,087

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,495 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,600


Rent Growth in 2024: 7.02%

Tucson Arizona skyline cityscape framed by saguaro cactus and mountains
dszc/istockphoto

14. Tucson, Arizona

Population: 531,641

Median Household Income: $54,546

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,500

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,600


Rent Growth in 2024: 6.67% 

Milwaukee - city panorama
benkrut/istockphoto

15. Milwaukee

Population: 561,385

Median Household Income: $51,888

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,175 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,250 


Rent Growth in 2024: 6.38% 

Aerial view of Madison city downtown at sunset, Wisconsin
marchello74/istockphoto

16. Madison, Wisconsin

Population: 241,951

Median Household Income: $82,996 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,600 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,700


Rent Growth in 2024: 0.85% 

Vancouver, Washington
Maxvis / istockphoto

17. Vancouver, Washington

Population: 172,860

Median Household Income: $73,626

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,845

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,960


Rent Growth in 2024: 4.99% 

Sunrise at Portland, Oregon
Shunyu Fan/istockphoto

18. Portland, Oregon

Population: 632,309

Median Household Income: $88,792 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,695 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,795


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.90% 

Reno is the other, lesser known Gambling Oasis in Nevada
Jacob Boomsma/istockphoto

19. Reno, Nevada

Population: 241,445

Median Household Income: $78,448 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,6800 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,900


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.56% 

Aerial view of Downtown Columbus Ohio with Scioto river during sunset
espiegle/istockphoto

20. Columbus, Ohio

Population: 850,106

Median Household Income: $65,327 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,419

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,495


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.36% 

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA Downtown Skyline Aerial
Kruck20/istockphoto

21. Knoxville, Tennessee

Population: 185,291

Median Household Income: $48,309 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,900

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,000


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.26% 

Aerial View of The Chesapeake Bay Condos and the Beach in Virginia Beach at Sunset
Kyle Little/istockphoto

22. Chesapeake, Virginia

Population: 235,429

Median Household Income: $94,189

Average Rent in January 2024: $2,000 

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,100 


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.00% 

Worcester, Massachusetts
SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto

23. Worcester, Massachusetts

Population: 184,815

Median Household Income: $67,544 

Average Rent in January 2024: $2,000

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,100


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.00% 

Downtown Baltimore, Maryland
Jon Bilous/istockphoto

24. Baltimore

Population: 565,239

Median Household Income: $59,623 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,500

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,575


Rent Growth in 2024: 5.00% 

Providence, Rhode Island Cityscape
SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto

25. Providence, Rhode Island

Population: 179,207

Median Household Income: $66,772 

Average Rent in January 2024: $2,100 

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,200 


Rent Growth in 2024: 4.76% 

Virginia Beach, Virginia
peeterv/istockphoto

26. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Population: 452,745

Median Household Income: $87,544 

Average Rent in January 2024: $2,100

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,195 


Rent Growth in 2024: 4.52% 

Sunset Seattle
july7th/istockphoto

27. Seattle

Population: 684,451

Median Household Income: $116,068 

Average Rent in January 2024: $2,018

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,097


Rent Growth in 2024: 1.72% 

Tempe, Arizona
dszc/istockphoto

28. Tempe, Arizona

Population: 175,826

Median Household Income: $77,643 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,925 

Average Rent in December 2024: $2,000 


Rent Growth in 2024: 3.90% 

Tulsa skyline, pond, and fountains
Davel5957/istockphoto

29. Tulsa, Oklahoma

Population: 403,505

Median Household Income: $67,317 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,350

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,395 


Rent Growth in 2024: 3.33% 

Richmond, Virginia, USA Neighborhoods
Sean Pavone/istockphoto

30. Richmond, Virginia

Population: 220,289

Median Household Income: $59,066 

Average Rent in January 2024: $1,545 

Average Rent in December 2024: $1,595 


Rent Growth in 2024: 3.24%