15 American Cities Where Renters Never Move

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House for Rent
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Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.

Approximately 44 million U.S. households (or 35% of the total) are renters, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Renters tend to move much more frequently than homeowners.

For example, 51% of renters surveyed in the 2019 American Community Survey reported moving into their current home within the past two years compared to just 15% of homeowners.

While the majority of renters move frequently, about 5.5% of U.S. renter households have been in the same residence for more than 20 years. For a variety of demographic, economic, and cultural reasons, this percentage is far higher in certain parts of the country.

To find the cities where existing renters stay put the longest, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The researchers ranked cities according to the percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20 years or more.

Researchers also calculated the percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10 years or more, the percentage of households that rent, the total number of renter households, and median monthly housing costs for renters.

Here are the cities with the largest share of renters who haven’t moved in at least 20 years.

15. Miami, FL

Miami, Florida homes
Blue Rhino Media / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 5.4%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 17.2%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 70.4%
  • Total renter households: 133,206
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,298

14. Baltimore, MD

Baltimore, Maryland
Hethers / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 5.6%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 15.5%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 52.4%
  • Total renter households: 127,170
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,090

13. Anaheim, CA

rides Paradise Pier Anaheim California reflected lake
James Kirkikis / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 5.6%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 21.5%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 53.9%
  • Total renter households: 56,731
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,733

12. Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, downtown evening rush hour.
Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 5.9%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 16.2%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 47.7%
  • Total renter households: 295,783
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,079

11. El Paso, TX

El Paso Texas neighborhood
IflyAerialPhotography / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 5.9%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 17.6%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 42.5%
  • Total renter households: 94,700
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $847

10. Long Beach, CA

Long Beach, California
Idealphotographer / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 6.3%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 19.8%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 60.8%
  • Total renter households: 100,745
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,460

9. Washington, D.C.

Washington D.C.
f11photo / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 6.8%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 17.2%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 58.5%
  • Total renter households: 170,582
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,603

8. Detroit, MI

Detroit
rlassman / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 6.8%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 17.6%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 52.2%
  • Total renter households: 139,338
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $866

7. Chicago, IL

Chicago, Illinois
f11photo / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 7.0%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 19.7%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 55.8%
  • Total renter households: 603,352
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,134

6. Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, Ohio
Rudy Balasko / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 7.4%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 19.8%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 60.0%
  • Total renter households: 102,925
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $725

5. Boston, MA

Boston, Massachusetts
f11photo / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 7.5%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 22.8%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 65.3%
  • Total renter households: 177,351
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,735

4. Oakland, CA

Oakland, California
EddieHernandezPhotography / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 9.4%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 25.4%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 58.7%
  • Total renter households: 98,857
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,600

3. Los Angeles, CA

The streets of Los Angeles, where median rent is relatively low
Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 11.0%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 27.4%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 63.5%
  • Total renter households: 887,785
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,554

2. San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, California
IM_photo / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 14.9%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 33.3%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 62.9%
  • Total renter households: 229,999
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,959

1. New York, NY

New York City
Taiga / Shutterstock.com
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20+ years: 20.4%
  • Percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10+ years: 39.3%
  • Percentage of households that rent: 68.1%
  • Total renter households: 2,188,214
  • Median monthly housing costs for renters: $1,483

Methodology

A man studies financial data at his computer
NicoElNino / Shutterstock.com

To find the cities where renters never move, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.

The researchers ranked cities according to the percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 20 years or more. Researchers also calculated the percentage of renters who haven’t moved in 10 years or more, the percentage of households that rent, the total number of renter households, and median monthly housing costs for renters.

To improve relevance, only cities with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis.

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