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79 May 2025 J O U R N A L May 2025 » single-family renter household income of $93,345, all wrapped up in one of the best community indexes and the fourth- best walkability index. » Salt Lake City-Murray, Utah (62.93 points): This metro might have a higher cost of living, but more than 56% of renters can comfortably afford their monthly housing expenses. The area enjoys a low unemployment rate, job growth close to 2%, and an average single-family renter household income of $93,345, all wrapped up in one of the best community indexes and the fourth-best walkability index. The second-smallest metro on the list ranks as the fourth-best metro for sin- gle-family home renters, with the peace of mind of living in the safest metro on the list. In Omaha, Nebraska, and St. Louis, Missouri, two of the best-ranked metros for economy and housing, more than 55% of single-family renters can comfortably afford their housing costs. The two areas also score well in cost of living, reasonable renters' insurance, and low unemployment rates. Omaha's recent economic surge doesn't hurt. The Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metropolitan area in California might fall short when it comes to the cost of living, but with its community well-being, safety, and walkability, the metro ranks highest in terms of community and quality of life. The second-best place for single-family home renters is Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island-Massachusetts, which combines New England charm with safety and strong community engagement. No metro in Texas cracks the top 10 best metros for house renters; the closest being the Austin-Round Rock-San Mar- cos area, ranking 26th. As much as 58% of renters there can comfortably afford their monthly housing costs, making Austin one of the more financially viable options in the state. Out west, California's Bakers- field-Delano metro is the only large metro in the country where over 51% of renter households are single-family. San Francisco and San Jose boast the highest single-family renter incomes ($150,340 and $194,154, respectively), as well as the best community well-being indexes. Down Florida way, Miami offers walkability, robust job growth, and a low unemployment rate—plus, as expected, abundant entertainment options, while Lakeland-Winter Haven, the smallest metro on the list with just under 820,000 residents, has one of the highest percent- ages of house-renters at 39% to enjoy its spacious rental homes and minimal traffic delays. The nation's largest metro, New York-Newark-Jersey City, ranks 40th overall but stands out for its high-income levels among single-family renters, excellent walkability, and an abundance of entertainment options.