Scottsdale ranks No. 7 among best U.S. cities for renters

RentCafe ranked Scottsdale No. 7 among the best U.S. cities for renters in its 2026 report released last week.

evaluated 150 cities with at least 10,000 apartment units using 20 key metrics across three categories: cost of living and housing (weighted 40%), local economy (weighted 35%) and quality of life (weighted 25%). Specific metrics include walkability, average apartment size and renter income growth.

McKinney, Texas, took the top spot for the second year in a row. The South claimed 37 of the top 50 spots, a showing RentCafe attributed to the region’s affordability and economic opportunity. Scottsdale is the only city in the top 10 not in the South. Gilbert ranked 13th nationally and second in the West, behind only Scottsdale.

Last year’s rankings had Scottsdale at No. 15 and Gilbert at No. 12 nationally.

What metrics did Scottsdale do well in?

Scottsdale ranked No. 7 overall, placing ninth in local economy and fifth in quality of life despite ranking 71st in cost of living and housing. It also ranked second in the country in share of apartments in top locations (83.7%) and average school quality.

Scottsdale also ranked in the top 10 in unemployment rate (3.6%, ninth), share of higher educated residents (49.3%, sixth) and average air quality (71, tied for fourth).

Gilbert, meanwhile, ranked first in the country in share of new apartments (35.3%) and share of high-end apartments (88%). Scottsdale ranked third in the high-end apartment index (83.8%).

A different 2026 study by WalletHub ranked Scottsdale as the No. 1 city in the country for renters, with Gilbert at No. 2 and Chandler at No. 3, as it weighed quality-of-life factors heavier in Arizona’s favor.

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