Last year saw 44 million visitors to the Apartments.com Network each month, with a total of 920 million visits overall. What were millions of renters searching for? Here’s a breakdown of the biggest trends in renters’ searches over the year, and what’s ahead in the new year.
The 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom leads the pack
One-bedroom or two-bedroom? The two-bedroom apartment just inched out the one-bedroom by two percentage points. A plurality of rental searches, 35 percent, were for a two-bedroom unit.
But the popular one-bedroom was close behind. More than three times as many renters were searching for a one-bedroom as a studio apartment, and only 17 percent of searches were for a unit with three or more bedrooms.
When it came to bathrooms, however, one was enough for most renters. Over half of searches — 55 percent — were for a single bathroom, compared to 38 percent for a two-bathroom unit and a scant 4 percent interested in a unit with three or more bathrooms.
Apartments remain the most popular choice
Apartments.com is home to all kinds of rental units: apartments, townhouses, condos, single-family homes, and even the occasional tiny home. When renters select their preferred home style, apartments come out on top.
Over 87 percent of rental searches last year were for apartments. That’s more than 12 times as popular as the next item on the list: the single-family home. Houses came in second with 7 percent of searches. Townhouses and condos netted 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
Popular keywords also reveal what kinds of places renters are looking for. “Furnished” was the top keyword for 2024, followed by “Loft.” Other top considerations for renters include having a garage, balcony, or den, which all appeared in the top 10 most common keywords.
Renters prefer Fido over Felix
Renters care about living in a pet-friendly community, according to a recent renter survey by Apartments.com, which showed that 41 percent of renters live with a pet.
But renters looking for their next place are much more likely to search for a dog-friendly community. Renters searching in 2024 were nearly twice as likely to search for a dog-friendly unit as a cat-friendly unit.
Searches are increasingly mobile
When it comes to finding their next place, renters are relying much more on their phones than on their laptops. A whopping three-quarters of searches were on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, with only a quarter done on a computer. These searches include the Apartments.com website and the Apartments.com mobile app, which is available through the App Store and Google Play.
Women are more likely to lead the rental search
It’s not news that women are typically overrepresented among renters. Not only are women more likely than men to rent rather than own, but they’re also more likely to be responsible for the rental search when they live with a male partner.
Of all renters searching on Apartments.com in 2024, 55 percent were female.
What ages are Apartments.com renters? Visitors skew young, with 44 percent under the age of 35, and one in five between the ages of 18 and 24.
But renters in their mid-30s and up still make up a significant percentage of Apartments.com users. Renters between 35 and 54 constituted 35 percent of renters on the site in 2024, and 22 percent of visitors were ages 55 or older.
Most renters want to pay under $1,600
About 60 percent of last year’s searches were for rentals under $1,600 per month. Price is the top consideration for renters when searching for their next place, according to the recent renter survey. Only 15 percent of renters in 2024 were searching for a unit that cost $2,100 or more per month.
May is the top month for searches
When are renters most likely to search for their next place? Spring and summer remain hot months for searching. Based on 2024 user traffic, May peaked as the #1 month for rental searches, followed by April and June. December was the least popular time to start searching.
What 2025’s renters are searching for
How will renter search behavior change in the months ahead? While certain trends, like renter demographics, are likely to remain relatively stable, other preferences are more likely to shift.
Looking at the year ahead, Apartments.com predicts a rise in searches for pickleball courts, as a growing number of properties offer this amenity in response to renter demand.
Properties in New York City are likely to see an increasing number of searches based on classic New York building styles, such as pre-war and walk-ups, as renters take advantage of these new search tools.
And rent prices are expected to rise as rent growth accelerates into 2025. After hovering around 1 percent nationwide throughout 2024, rent growth is forecast to grow in the quarters ahead. CoStar expects all but two major multifamily markets back in the black by year end. As a result, renters will likely increase the rent range they’re searching for.
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