SANTA BARBARA, CA—If the proof of the pudding is in the eating,as the old expression has it, then the proof of a property sector'sstrength is in its metrics. On that score, investors' confidence inmultifamily continues to be justified, with bothYardi and MPF Research reportingyear-over-year gains in apartment rents and occupancy.

Yardi Matrix data released Wednesday showed that rents rose in2015 by an average of 6.4% across the 111 metro areas it tracks.That national average represents the second highest increase overthe past decade and 190 basis points more than the 4.5% recorded in2014, according to the December 2015 edition of Matrix Monthly.It's the case even as December rents were basically flat, as theyhave been for the past four months.

Helping push the average growth rate up across the board wereyear-over-year increases in the top five metros, all on the WestCoast. Portland, OR led the way at 14.8%, followed by Sacramento(10.7%), Seattle (10.5%), San Francisco (11%) and Los Angeles(9%).