Rents in major metro areas remain elevated from pre-2020 prices but are slowly cooling, according to a recent report from Realtor.com. The median rent has grown 16.9% since December 2019. However, the median rent in the 50 largest metro areas dropped 0.7% year over year in December 2025, sitting at $1,689.
Despite continual decreases, the December Realtor.com data shows that low-income renters continue to struggle, as much of the rent relief since 2023 has been targeted at higher-cost units.
