- San Francisco remains the most expensive rental market, with house rents reaching $3,845.
- Houston and Atlanta are the most affordable major metros, with rents at $1,824 and $1,858, respectively.
- Chicago posted the highest annual rent growth, rising 7.3% YoY and leading all major U.S. cities.
- Boston recorded the steepest annual decline, with rents falling 3.6% YoY as the market continues its correction.
The latest October 2025 rental data shows how much it now costs to rent a 3-bedroom house across the top U.S. cities, and the answer varies widely. Chicago recorded the highest annual increase, rising 7.3% YoY, while Boston posted the sharpest decline, falling 3.6% YoY. At the same time, Miami remained almost unchanged at +0.5% YoY, making it the most stable major metro in the dataset. As some cities cool after summer highs and others accelerate, this report explains where rents are most expensive, where they’re most affordable, and how trends are shifting across major U.S. markets.
Methodology
This report analyzes rent trends across 10 major U.S. metros, grouped into four categories: high-cost markets such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston; mid-high tier metros like Washington, D.C. and Miami; mid-tier markets including Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix; and affordable metros such as Atlanta and Houston. The analysis draws on more than 16 million verified listings, cleaned to remove duplicates, outliers, and errors, and tracked month-over-month and year-over-year to capture both immediate changes and long-term patterns. All figures are preliminary and may adjust slightly once final numbers are confirmed approximately two months after publication. See full methodology here.
House Rent in High-Cost Metros: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston
Rent Price in San Francisco
San Francisco continues to lead the high-cost tier. Renting a house in San Francisco averaged $3,845 in October, reflecting a 1.3% month-over-month increase and a 1.7% year-over-year gain. The market remains the benchmark for upper-tier pricing and shows ongoing upward momentum.
Rent Price in Los Angeles
Los Angeles followed closely at $3,834, with the metro showing early signs of stabilization. House rents in Los Angeles increased 0.8% month-over-month, narrowing the annual decline to –1.0% YoY after a year of double-digit losses.
Rent Price in Boston
Unlike San Francisco’s steady growth or Los Angeles’s gradual recovery, houses in Boston averaged $3,353, recording 0.2% month-over-month growth but a –3.6% year-over-year decline, the sharpest annual drop among the top metros. Boston continues to move through a correction cycle, setting it apart from the other high-cost markets that are now stabilizing or expanding.
Mid-High Tier: Washington, D.C. and Miami
Rent Price in Washington, D.C.
Renting a house in Washington averaged $2,868 in October, with rents rising 0.4% month-over-month and 3.3% year-over-year.
Rent Price in Miami
In Miami, the average house rent was $3,194, recording 0.8% month-over-month and 0.5% year-over-year increases. Miami’s YoY performance aligns precisely with the national YoY trend, and remains one of the most expensive Sun Belt metros.
Mid-Tier Metros: Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix
Rent Price in Chicago
Chicago continues to lead national rent performance. Renting a house in Chicago averaged $2,255, increasing 1.9% month-over-month and 7.3% year-over-year—the highest annual gain among all major metros.
Rent Price in Dallas
Meanwhile, in Dallas, the rent price averaged $2,000, rising 0.9% month-over-month but declining 0.7% year-over-year.
Rent Price in Phoenix
Phoenix houses’ price averaged $1,993, with rents increasing 1.1% month-over-month yet falling 1.4% year-over-year. The metro is still adjusting from earlier rapid growth, and annual pricing continues to soften.
Affordable Metros: Atlanta and Houston
Rent Price in Atlanta
In the affordable category, Atlanta’s rent reached $1,858 in October. Rents rose 1.9% month-over-month and 1.0% year-over-year, keeping Atlanta relatively low-priced compared to most of the dataset.
Rent Price in Houston
Houston remains one of the most stable and attractive affordable markets. At $1,824, rents increased 0.3% month-over-month and 1.5% year-over-year. That combination of modest growth and low absolute price levels makes Houston a notable value play among the top metros.
Conclusion
In October 2025, house rent prices in the top U.S. cities ranged from $1,824 in Houston to $3,845 in San Francisco.
The picture that emerges is segmented:
- Chicago, Washington, Houston, and San Francisco are showing an upward trend.
- Boston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas remain down year-over-year.
- Miami and Atlanta sit near flat in annual terms, tracking closely with the national YoY increase of 0.5%, while national rents rose 1.6% month-over-month in October.
As the market moves into 2026, the gap between high-growth and correcting metros may widen further, offering increasingly clear signals for investors, property managers, and analysts deciding where to allocate capital or expand operations.
FAQ
What does the October 2025 rental data show about the U.S. market?
The rental market shows a fragmented landscape. Chicago, Washington, Houston, and San Francisco delivered solid annual gains, while Boston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas saw YoY declines. Miami and Atlanta remained relatively steady.
Which cities saw the highest rent increases in October 2025?
Chicago (+7.3% YoY), Washington (+3.3% YoY), Houston (+1.5% YoY), and San Francisco (+1.7% YoY) posted the highest annual gains.
Which cities experienced rent declines in October 2025?
Boston (–3.6% YoY), Phoenix (–1.4% YoY), Los Angeles (–1.0% YoY), and Dallas (–0.7% YoY) all recorded year-over-year declines, even when some of them grew slightly month-over-month.
How can rental market data help understand housing trends?
Rental data shows where demand is rising or cooling, highlights affordability pressures, and reveals long-term patterns across metros, supporting better decisions for investors, property managers, lenders, and policymakers.
Where can I buy rental market data?
Companies like Dwellsy provide rental datasets, including historical trends, rent benchmarks, and metro-level insights used by investors, proptech firms, universities, and government agencies.
