The Renter Suburb: Renters Outnumber Owners in 203 Suburbs in Largest U.S. Metros

Once homeownership strongholds, suburbs are ceding ground to the new housing reality: The renter-dominated suburb. Driven by affordability, mobility and changing lifestyles, homes for rent are extending beyond the city and into what used to be definitive homeowner territory.

In America’s 20 largest metros there are nearly 1,500 suburbs with a population higher than 10,000. According to a recent analysis of U.S. Census data, 203 suburbs across these metropolitan areas are now renter-majority. In other words, more people lease their homes than own them in these communities. This change shows that the line between city and suburb continues to blur.

Andra Hopulele