SFR Rent Growth Falls Across Major Metros as Market Cools
Annual single-family rent growth in September 2025 was 1% year over year, the lowest recorded in 15 years, according to the Single-Family Rent Index (SFRI) developed by Cotality. Over the past five years, national single-family rents have increased by approximately $7,300 per year, representing a 29% rise. This rent growth accounted for about one-third of the increase in median family income in that same period.
Rent growth for high-end properties in 2025 was 1.3%, below the 3.2% increase observed in 2024. Rents for low-end properties increased by 1%, compared with a 2.5% gain the previous year. In some major metros, such as Dallas and Miami, the SFRI showed decreases: five-year rent increases were $850 and $610 per month, respectively.
Detached homes saw rent growth of 1% in September, while attached homes increased by 0.9%. Among major metros, Chicago recorded the highest annual rent growth at 4.3%, followed by Washington, DC (3.1%), Philadelphia (2%), and Los Angeles (1.5%). Other notable metros included Atlanta (1.2%), New York (1%), Detroit (0.5%), and Houston (0.1%). Rents dropped in 26% of the largest 50 metros studied, with the lowest growth rates in Dallas (-1.1%) and Miami (-0.7%).
Source: GlobeSt/ALM