Burb Rentals Grow at a Faster Clip Than Urban

French Colony is an 94-unit multifamily property built in 1964.

DALLAS—Between 2011 and 2015, suburban areas gained renter households at a faster pace than principal cities in 19 of the 20 biggest US metros, according to the most recent analysis of Census data. It may be because life in the burbs is cheaper or because infrastructure, amenities, and access to jobs and public transit have much improved in recent years. Either way, one thing is certain: the suburbs are becoming attractive again, and the number of renters is growing there much faster than in the cities, according to RENTCafé.

During the post-recession rental boom, it appeared that millennial renters were flocking to urban cores. The trend was backed up by news of declining homeownership rates and urban apartment construction at record-high levels. However, urban areas have not gained as many new renters as expected.