The Greater Los Angeles rental market is facing increased competition in early 2025, according to new research from RentCafe, a nationwide apartment search website.
January’s wildfires have added uncertainty to the rental market outlook, the extent of which is still unclear, and data shows both eastern and western Los Angeles County have become more challenging for renters compared to early 2024.
In eastern Los Angeles County, which includes parts of L.A., Long Beach, Pasadena, Pomona and Downey, 51.4% of renters are renewing their leases, up from 47.6% a year ago, RentCafe reports. The trend suggests renters are prioritizing stability, officials theorized.
Although new apartment supply in the region increased by 0.63%, up from 0.48% in early 2024, RentCafe analysts note that the modest bump may not meet the strong demand.
The region’s occupancy rate is at 96.0%, with apartments vacant for an average of 44 days. Competition remains intense, with 13 prospective renters per available unit, the data shows.
Renters in eastern L.A. County stay in their homes for an average of 40 months, significantly longer than the national average of 28 months.
RentCafe’s Rental Competitiveness Index, a figure that ranks how competitive housing is in certain regions, lists east L.A. County as 17th in the nation, up from the previous year.
In western L.A. County, which includes Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Culver City and Inglewood, renters are feeling a similar pressure.
RentCafe data shows lease renewals rose to 41.6%, compared to 37.6% in early 2024. But, the supply of new apartments dropped sharply; just 0.18% new units were added, down from 0.57% last year.
Occupancy remains strong at 93.0%, with apartments vacant for an average of 44 days. Each available unit sees about eight prospective renters, and renters in this region typically stay in their homes for 30 months, data showed.
The Rental Competitiveness Index score for west L.A. County increased to 71.0, up from 64.8 in early 2024, RentCafe reports.
Despite these mounting pressures on renters, RentCafe says the greater Los Angeles region falls short of the most competitive rental marketplaces in the U.S.
Topping the list is Miami, followed by the Chicago suburbs and North New Jersey.
The 20 most competitive rental markets in early 2025 are below:
Top 20 Most Competitive Rental Markets at the Start of 2025
| Rank | Market | Competitive Score |
Average Vacant Days | Occupied Apartments | Prospective Renters | Lease Renewal Rate | Share of New Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami, FL | 93.1 | 36 | 96.3% | 14 | 76.0% | 1.39% |
| 2 | Suburban Chicago, IL | 88.4 | 39 | 95.4% | 10 | 70.4% | 0.26% |
| 3 | North Jersey, NJ | 85.7 | 41 | 95.2% | 9 | 71.4% | 0.14% |
| 4 | Lansing – Ann Arbor, MI | 85.4 | 38 | 95.0% | 6 | 70.2% | 0.00% |
| 5 | Suburban Philadelphia, PA | 85.3 | 44 | 94.9% | 9 | 77.1% | 0.09% |
| 5 | Grand Rapids, MI | 85.3 | 38 | 95.6% | 7 | 74.3% | 1.03% |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH | 84.5 | 42 | 94.3% | 10 | 66.4% | 0.00% |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | 84.4 | 38 | 94.7% | 8 | 66.4% | 0.59% |
| 9 | Bridgeport – New Haven, CT | 84.2 | 40 | 95.4% | 10 | 66.4% | 0.81% |
| 10 | Milwaukee, WI | 82.8 | 43 | 94.0% | 8 | 70.1% | 0.00% |
| 11 | Suburban Twin Cities, MN-WI | 81.3 | 40 | 94.2% | 7 | 65.1% | 0.57% |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | 80.9 | 43 | 93.5% | 7 | 69.3% | 0.11% |
| 13 | Broward County, FL | 80.4 | 42 | 94.6% | 10 | 70.1% | 1.47% |
| 14 | Orange County, CA | 80.0 | 45 | 95.6% | 10 | 60.6% | 0.15% |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | 79.7 | 41 | 93.6% | 7 | 68.7% | 0.91% |
| 16 | Silicon Valley, CA | 79.6 | 39 | 95.1% | 10 | 53.8% | 0.93% |
| 17 | Eastern Los Angeles, CA | 79.4 | 44 | 96.0% | 13 | 51.4% | 0.63% |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | 79.3 | 40 | 94.4% | 8 | 59.2% | 0.54% |
| 19 | Orlando, FL | 79.0 | 39 | 94.4% | 8 | 67.6% | 1.76% |
| 20 | Eastern Virginia, VA | 78.7 | 42 | 93.4% | 8 | 63.9% | 0.61% |
RentCafe provides rental data with insights provided from from the extensive real estate data platform Yardi, its parent company. For more details about nationwide rental competition ratings, click here.