#rental-competitiveness-index

#rental-competitiveness-index

Demand so outpaced supply in greater Boston that the metro experienced a 95% occupancy rate in 2025. Apartments spent an average of 38 days on the market, and 11 renters competed for every vacant unit. Meanwhile, new apartment construction ticked up by just 2%. Once Boston renters secure a home, they are unlikely to leave. The city's lease renewal rate grew 2.6% during 2025 to 64%.

Published in the fall of 2025, RentCafe's analysis found that nationwide, the average renter holds onto their lease for 28 months (two years and change). The region where renters stay put the longest is the Northeastern U.S., where the average time someone stays in their rental is 36 months (three years). But that average is significantly higher in one place: Brooklyn, N.Y. The New York City borough has renters staying in their homes for an average of 49 months (just over four years).