- NYC rent growth remained positive in February, outpacing national trends.
- Manhattan led all boroughs with a 6.0% annual rent increase.
- Brooklyn recorded the strongest short-term rent momentum.
- Rent expansion is steady, but growth varies across boroughs.
NYC Market Maintains Edge
New York City’s rental market continued its resilience into February 2026, according to Chandan Economics. Manhattan registered the strongest annual rent growth among all boroughs, while Brooklyn showed leading short-term momentum based on Zillow’s Observed Rent Index data. Overall, rents across the NYC metro area climbed 4.2% year-over-year, well above the national average of 1.8%.
Borough-Level Performance
Annual rent growth varied across NYC. Manhattan rents gained 6.0% over the past year, with Brooklyn close behind at 5.6%. Queens registered a 4.4% annual increase. The Bronx and Staten Island trailed, rising 1.7% and 3.1% respectively, continuing a broader pattern where Manhattan rents have pushed to new highs in recent months while other boroughs lag behind.
Monthly momentum was strongest in Brooklyn, up 0.4% from January. Manhattan rose 0.3% in the same period, while Queens and the Bronx each managed 0.1% gains. Staten Island saw a notable month-over-month decline.
Why It Matters
On a three-month moving average, NYC posted 2.4% annualized rent growth—triple the national rate of 0.8%. This signals a market that, although no longer surging post-pandemic, maintains solid footing and outperforms the broader US rental landscape.
What’s Next
NYC rent growth remains steady, but trends diverge by borough. Manhattan continues leading with highest annual gains, while Brooklyn sets the pace for short-term rent growth. Other boroughs display slower expansion or pockets of softening, indicating a period of stable but uneven rental growth citywide.
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