The happiest renters in the nation are those in smaller cities and suburbs, found a new study from ApartmentList. Scottsdale, Ariz. has the cheeriest renters.
Researcher Sydney Bennet at Apartment List says, “smaller cities tend to perform better on safety and school quality.” Big metros like New York did not score as well as Scottsdale, Plano, Texas, and the remaining eight happiest cities for renters. The cities that scored an "F" in the study included Syracuse, N.Y., Newark, N.J., and Detroit, per Realtor.com. The median price of a one-bedroom apartment in Newark was $1,200 at the start of this month, whereas the median price of the same type of unit in Scottsdale is $1,030.
The website surveyed 45,000 renters who ranked their respective cities on 11 factors, which included affordability, job and career opportunities, and recreational activities. It also threw in a few potential pain points such as commute time, taxes, and public transit. Nearly 170 cities, all of which needed to have at least 30 responses from renters, were included. Only responses from renters who lived on their own or with roommates—not Mom and Dad—were factored in.
