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Dominic Castillo
Time to read: 1 minute
About a year ago we told you about how Forbes called Virginia Beach one of the best cities in the US for renters. Well, they’ve now updated their data for 2022, and The Beach has moved up the list—and it’s been passed by one of its neighbors.
To find the best places for renters, Forbes compared the 93 largest US cities on their apartment qualities, apartment affordability, federally disclosed disasters, outdoors, crime, recent development, and unemployment rate.
This year, Forbes calls Chesapeake the 2nd best city for renters, and just behind in the third position on the list is neighbor Virginia Beach.
The two cities are naturally similar in most regards, including what renters can expect. Chesapeake has an average 2-bedroom rent of $1,432 vs Virginia Beach at $1,470. Average apartment size is slightly larger in Virginia Beach, however (1,022sqft vs 1,004sqft), and Virginia Beach’s “ParkScore” was slightly higher (54.2 vs 47.7). There’s not much to separate the two in the other factors, either. Here’s some of what Forbes has to say about Chesapeake:
Apartment-hunters in coastal Virginia would do well to settle down in Chesapeake. The city has a very low crime rate and has the second-lowest average rent on our Top 10 list. Although Chesapeake has the smallest two-bedroom apartments in our Top 10, the low ratio of rent to income makes up for it. Rent for a two-bedroom apartment would account for 21% of the city’s median household income ($78,640).
And about Virginia Beach:
Shop around a little to find an apartment with amenities. Thirty-seven percent of rentals have a pool and more than two-thirds have gyms (69%) and in-unit washers and dryers (68%). It will be harder to find a new or renovated kitchen in Virginia Beach: Only about 13% offer stainless steel appliances. If you’ve got a pet in tow it won’t be a problem: 91% of rentals in Virginia Beach allow pets. Virginia Beach’s location boasts everything from ocean views to wildlife preserves. You can get fresh air on the boardwalk or one of the city’s many hiking trails.
These results shouldn’t be a surprise to Tidewater residents. Renting isn’t getting any cheaper, and with increasing concerns about total costs of living around the country, we’ve seen people from all regions choose Hampton Roads to relocate to, whether renting or owning.
Along with low cost of living and high median income and great access to the outdoors, Hampton Roads has great schools, and some of the best hospitals and healthcare systems in the country. The region and its localities have even been awarded multiple times for how municipalities use technology to best serve residents with efforts like the region’s Connectivity Ring.
And as long as quality of life in Hampton Roads is kept to these high standards—for both renters and homeowners alike—we can expect the influx of new people to continue.
The best city in the country for renters this year is Lincoln, NE.
Best Places For Renters
- Lincoln, NE
- Chesapeake, VA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Raleigh, NC
- Plano, TX
- Gilbert, AZ
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Irvine, CA
- Henderson, NV
- Chandler, AZ
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Dominic Castillo
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