- Washington, DC, ranks first for renter engagement nationwide in Q1 2025.
- Las Vegas and Fort Lauderdale make major leaps, jumping 88 and 71 spots, respectively.
- Southern cities dominate the top 30, but the Midwest leads in the top 10 rankings.
A New Moving Season Begins
As spring transitions into summer — traditionally the busiest moving season — rental activity is heating up across the country.
According to RentCafe.com’s newly launched Renter Engagement Tracker (REnT) for Q1 2025, Washington, DC, once again captures the most attention from renters nationwide, maintaining its leading spot from the fall of 2024.
The quarterly REnT report analyzes online engagement across the 150 largest US cities, using metrics like page views, favorites, saved searches, and apartment availability to determine renter interest trends.
Washington, DC Stays on Top
Washington, DC leads the national ranking with robust engagement levels despite a 7% dip in page views. An 18% increase in favorited listings indicates that renters are acting decisively in securing apartments. Most online interest came from renters based in Baltimore, New York City, and Philadelphia.
Following DC, Cincinnati and Kansas City, MO, made significant moves, jumping nine and 12 spots respectively, to round out the top three.
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Big Movers: Las Vegas and Fort Lauderdale
Several cities saw standout gains. Las Vegas surged 88 places to land at #12, fueled by decreasing saved searches and growing urgency among renters. Similarly, Fort Lauderdale jumped 71 positions, claiming the #28 spot, signaling strong renter decisiveness in the Florida market.
South Dominates the Top 30
While the Midwest controls most of the top 10 spots (with seven entries), the South reigns overall, capturing 15 of the top 30 cities for renter engagement. Key southern cities included Atlanta (#4 nationally), Chesapeake, VA (#13), and Tampa, FL (#21).
In contrast, the Northeast underperformed, with only Philadelphia making the top 30 at #11 nationally.
New Faces in the Top Rankings
Nine cities made their debut in the top 30 this quarter. Highlights include:
- Grand Rapids, MI (+17 spots)
- Tampa, FL (+13 spots)
- Augusta, GA (+34 spots)
- Columbus, GA (+17 spots)
- Knoxville, TN (+22 spots)
Their inclusion signals evolving rental market dynamics and shifting renter preferences in 2025.
Why It Matters
The strong activity in cities like Washington, DC, Cincinnati, and Kansas City highlights a shifting rental landscape where availability, urgency, and decisiveness shape market movements. With apartment seekers becoming increasingly proactive — especially in competitive markets — cities that balance supply with desirability continue to dominate renter attention.
What’s Next
As summer approaches, expect further reshuffling in rental engagement rankings. With tight inventories and renters seeking quicker move-ins, competition for quality rentals will likely intensify, particularly in hot markets across the South and Midwest.
