Why tenants should stay away from California! Fascinating study reveals the best and worst cities to rent - does YOURS make the list?

Prospective tenants may wish to steer clear of California as the Golden State is home to the top ten worst cities to rent, according to a new study. 

USA Today Homefront ranked 315 US cities across 19 key metrics including costs and quality of life benefits such as good schools, restaurants and low crime rates.

Its findings show that Menifee, California, is the worst place as 79 percent of its population is rent-burdened. The study defined 'rent burdened' as households which spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. 

The median monthly rent in Menifee is $2,682 while the median income is just $42,338.

The other nine California cities to make the top ten were: Palmdale, Oceanside, Antioch, Lancaster, Richmond, El Cajon, Hayward, Fairfield and Victorville.

USA Today Homefront ranked 315 US cities across 19 key metrics including costs and quality of life benefits such as good schools, restaurants and low crime rates

Prospective tenants may wish to steer clear of California as the Golden State is home to the top ten worst cities to rent, according to the study

By contrast, Cary, North Carolina, topped the list of most renter-friendly cities due to its high safety score, affordability and well-paid job market.

It was followed by Overland Park, KS, Sioux Falls, SD, Frisco, TX, Pittsburgh, PA, Arlington, VA, Jersey City, NJ, Cedar Rapids, IA, Fargo, ND, and Santa Clara, CA.

Elsewhere, Evansville, IN, was found to be the cheapest city to rent, with tenants paying on average $875 per month.

It was followed by Fargo, ND, and Green Bay, WI, where rents are $899 per month and $942 per month respectively.

For years, rising rents have outstripped the rate of inflation. Between December 2018 and 2023, the average asking price for a rental unit shot up 35.7 percent.

It is little wonder then that housing costs are swallowing up more and more of our income. 

A study by Harvard University's joint center for housing studies found a record 22.4 million US renters were 'rent-burdened.'

According to USA Today Homefront - which cited figures from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI) - the average rent in the US is now $1,957.

Inflation rose slightly to 3.2 percent in February as prices were pushed up by housing costs and gas

Renters braving the one-bedroom market on their own face the highest cost burden in New York City, where single renters pay a staggering $20,100 premium

A separate report by Zillow recently found Americans forced to rent alone were paying a 'singles tax' for the privilege. It amounted to around $7,110 a year.

It comes after new data released today showed the rate of annual inflation increased to 3.2 percent in February.

So-called 'shelter' costs have emerged as a key driver of inflation - though they are showing signs of finally cooling.

The price of shelter ticked upwards 0.6 percent in February having increased 0.4 percent the month prior.

Still, shelter and gasoline alone were responsible for 60 percent of the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said.