Renters are looking in DC, but may not be finding what they want

D.C. remains one of the top markets for apartment rental activity, but a new report indicates potential renters searching in D.C. may not be finding what they like or can afford.

National apartment rental search site RentCafe looked at search activity across the 150 largest cities, and ranks D.C. No. 10 for its most-sought-after cities list, with a 32% increase in page views in February, compared to a year earlier. RentCafe says that signifies strong renter interest.

But there was a 41% year-over-year drop in favorited listings in D.C., and a 42% drop in saved searches.

There are fewer apartments for renters to look at in D.C., with availability down 9%.

For D.C. apartment searches conducted from out of town, RentCafe says most new D.C. renters relocate from Baltimore and New York City.

Minneapolis topped RentCafe’s list in February, with views for apartments up 234% from a year earlier, a 68% jump in favorited listings, and a 182% increase in saved searches. The year-over-year decrease in apartments available in Minneapolis was 22%.

By region, Western cities dominated the apartment search rankings, followed by Southern cities.

RentCafe’s February apartment activity data for the 150 largest cities is online. Below are the top 10 for February.