High housing costs in city centers and the new-found flexibility offered by remote work are pushing more renters to suburban areas.
Renters outnumber homeowners in over 200 U.S. suburbs, according to a new report that reveals a shift in the suburban housing market. Andra Hopulele outlines the findings for Point2Home, noting that the number of renters in suburbs has not taken a linear path: “Case in point, the number of renter-dominated suburbs has fallen compared to 2018, when a total of 233 suburbs were renter-majority. But, it remains high given that, traditionally, the suburbs were oases of homeownership away from the renter-majority urban spaces.” In sheer numbers, there are roughly 231,000 more renter households in the suburbs now than in 2018.
According to the report, “Between 2018 and 2023, the number of renter households increased faster in the suburbs than the main city in five of the 20 largest U.S. metros. Dallas was chief among them, with one more metro (Miami) seeing its share of renter households expand at quite similar rates in both the city and its suburbs.” Four of the top five suburbs with the most renter households added were in Texas.
The change is driven by shifts in work patterns, housing affordability (or lack thereof), and a greater availability of rental options in suburban areas. According to Hopulele, “The rise of the renter suburb is not a blip. It’s a fundamental shift in how Americans live and think about housing.”
FULL STORY: The Renter Suburb: Renters Outnumber Owners in 203 Suburbs in Largest U.S. Metros
Rents Rose Between December and January
After dropping to a three-year low, U.S. rent costs grew in many major cities.
Rent Costs Rising Faster in Suburbs Than Urban Cores
In a majority of U.S. metro areas, suburban rent hikes are outpacing urban rent increases.
Report: More Than Half of Harris County Households Cost-Burdened
Using a measurement that takes into account more factors in addition to housing costs, a new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research sheds light on the true crisis facing Houston-area renters.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
California Set to Increase Electric Truck Chargers by 25%
The California Transportation Commission approved funding for an additional 500 charging ports for electric trucks along some of the state’s busiest freight corridors.
21 Climate Resilience Projects Cancelled by the EPA
The federal government has pulled funding for at least 21 projects related to farming, food systems, and environmental justice to comply with one of Trump’s early executive orders.
Trump Executive Order on Homelessness Calls for Forced Institutionalization
The order seeks to remove legal precedents and consent decrees that prevent cities from moving unhoused people from the street to treatment centers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie