Three cities in the Pacific Northwest have been named among the best places to rent in the western United States in 2025.
The apartment-search website RentCafe published its annual “Best Cities for Renters to Live” report on June 26, finding Seattle, Portland, and Boise are among the top cities for renters in the West.
The report looked at communities where affordability intersected with a “strong sense of community” and good job prospects. Researchers took 150 cities across the nation and ranked them based on 20 indicators, including “apartment quality, economic strength, traffic, air quality and access to natural amenities,” according to the report.
Overall, McKinney, Texas, was ranked as the best city for renters in the country due to its mix of affordability, quality of life, and consistent job growth, according to RentCafe. But the report also ranked the top 10 cities by region.
Here’s more on the report and what to know about the best places for renters in the nation and the West.
According to RentCafe, the 10 best cities for renters to live in the western U.S. in 2025 are:
While Seattle ranked ninth in the West, its overall rank fared a bit worse in RentCafe’s 2025 report. The Emerald City ranked 73rd in the nation.
Analysts found that while Seattle, with a population of about 781,000 residents, enjoys a strong local economy (ranked 16th in the U.S.) and quality of life (12th), its housing and cost of living scores are among the lowest in the report, ranking 139th out of 150.
Seattle has consistently ranked among the most expensive places to live in the country, according to media reports. The Seattle Times reported that, in 2023, consumer prices in the Seattle metro area were nearly 13% higher than the national average, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Housing costs were about 50% higher than the national average, the paper reported.
However, some households can live comfortably in the city despite its high cost of living. A January 2025 report from the travel website Upgraded Points found that Seattle ranked third in the U.S. for cities where “middle-class families enjoy the most financial breathing room.” This is due to wages exceeding the area’s “elevated living costs.”
According to U.S. Census data, the median household income in Seattle in 2023 dollars was $121,984. The median gross rent was $1,998, according to the data.
According to RentCafe, the five best places for renters to live in the United States in 2025 are:
Anaheim, in Southern California, ranked last in RentCafe’s report of the best places for renters to live in the nation. Home to a Disneyland theme park and the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, Anaheim scored near the bottom of the list for housing and cost of living (144th), local economy (122nd), and quality of life (117th), according to the report.
Content adapted by the team from the original source: https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/washington/2025/06/27/best-places-for-renters-to-live-in-2025-washington-state-seattle/84385651007/
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