Analysis: Atlanta is top 3 best city in U.S. for renters right now

Josh Green

Tue, 07/01/2025 – 14:59

For Atlanta, a durable local economy and fabled quality of life have lifted the city among the best U.S. options for renters looking to get a leg up in 2025, according to a new national analysis.

Atlanta edged out 148 other places in the recently published “Best Cities for Renters to Live in 2025” report, as compiled by national apartment search website RentCafe.com.

With its robust economy, status as an “entrepreneurial haven,” relatively favorable cost of living, and plentiful (and relatively large) renting options, the City of Atlanta landed at No. 3 this year, among an analysis of 150 cities. Only cities with at least 10,000 apartments were considered.

Southern cities swept the entire top 10, and the top 50 was dominated by the Southeast and Texas. Elsewhere in Georgia, Marietta (No. 23), Athens (36), Macon (59), Columbus (64), Savannah (66), and Augusta (106) also made the cut.

RentCafe’s methodology examined factors such as economic strength, apartment quality, traffic, air quality, and natural amenities, which were then grouped into three categories: quality of life, cost of living and housing, and local economy.

Growing skylines of Midtown and downtown Atlanta, as seen in 2023. Shutterstock

The City of Atlanta actually slipped one spot from last year’s No. 2 rank, but analysts still determined it to be the highest-ranking mid-size city in the land.

Only Dallas suburb McKinney, TX (No. 1, with a population of 202,000) and Sarasota ranked higher than ATL this year. Those two cities—both considerably smaller than Atlanta—scored better for school quality, natural amenities, and air quality.

So where’s Atlanta shining in ’25?

The decidedly Southeast-heavy rundown for 2025’s top finishers, according to RentCafe. (Note: Atlanta was mistaken for, maybe, Bainbridge in this graphic? And Knoxville is slipping.)

According to RentCafe’s findings, renter income growth in the Big Peach has shot up by more than 44 percent over the past five years—one of the strongest increases among mid-sized U.S. cities.

With an average of 968 square feet, Atlanta chalked up the largest apartments—and the highest share of high-end apartments, 70 percent—among all cities considered mid-size.

Atlanta’s entrepreneurial spirit owes to the fact that 475 business applications were logged last year for every 10,000 residents. “That’s double, even triple the number of business applications you’d find in any other city with a population between 450,000 to 550,000,” as reps noted in an email to Urbanize Atlanta.

In terms of housing and living costs (Atlanta ranked ninth overall), the city’s cost of living lands at 4 percent below the national average. That’s less expensive than the two cities that bested ATL this year.

Another highpoint, per the analysis, is that roughly 44 percent of Atlanta’s rentals are located in “desirable locations” near transportation, entertainment, and shopping.

Among its mid-size peers, only Raleigh ranked higher, with about half of its rental in locales considered top tier.

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