Indy, Fort Wayne Rank Outside Top 100 of Best Places to Rent
Study: Indy, Fort Wayne Rank Outside Top 100 of Best Places to Rent
STATEWIDE — Two major Indiana cities rank towards the bottom when it comes to ideal places to rent in the United States.
This week, WalletHub released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst Places to Rent in America. They compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 21 key indicators including rental-price history and cost of living.
“Our study also considers quality-of-life factors such as a city’s traffic congestion, job market or recreation options to make sure you can get a good living experience, not just inexpensive housing,” said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo.
Fort Wayne was ranked as the 140th best place to rent in the U.S. with a score 42.71, a rental market ranking of 124 and a quality of living rank of 117.
Indianapolis came in at 155th, receiving a total score of 40.54. They were ranked better than Fort Wayne in the rental market (84), but fell behind in quality of living (165).
Three of the top five places are in Arizona:
- Overland Park, KS (66.93)
- Scottsdale, AZ (65.97)
- Chandler, AZ (65.75)
- Gilbert, AZ (65.66)
- Bismarck, ND (64.88)
The bottom five ranked cities:
- New Orleans, LA (31.79)
- Tacoma, WA (30.96)
- Cleveland, OH (30.20)
- Detroit, MI (29.89)
- Memphis, TN (28.05)
Rental prices saw a 5.1% year-over-year increase last year, but mortgage rates are currently on a downward trend.
About 46 million American households have opted to rent instead of buy their homes. They say convenience, cost, or both are what mainly drives their decisions. Of course, housing prices differ depending on region, state or city.
“In the best cities for renters, rent can cost you as little as around 15% of your income,” Lupo added. “You’ll also have access to robust laws that protect renters, such as limiting deposits to only a month or two of rent.
