The 2024 Renter Preferences Survey Report by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and Grace Hill reveals the evolving priorities of renters across the country. Featuring responses from 172,703 renters living in 4,220 communities, the report sheds light on the demographics, lifestyle, connectivity needs, and more for the renters of today.
Included in the research are renter preferences for apartment features and amenities. At the top of this list—the amenity/feature that respondents are “interested in” or “won't rent without”—is air conditioning. While 93% of renters fall into this category (a two percent increase from the 2022 report), there is one region of the U.S. where renters feel the change the most.
Where is apartment air conditioning demand increasing most?
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) region, characterized mostly by various mountain ranges within the states of Oregon and Washington, has seen some of the largest changes in air conditioning interest since 2022:
- A 3% increase in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore-Wash, area, from 87% in 2022 to 90% in 2024
- A 5% increase in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash., area, from 77% in 2022 to 82% in 2024
- A 10% increase in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, Wash., area, from 79% in 2022 to 89% in 2024
According to NMHC/Grace Hill, these three markets saw some of the largest changes in the air conditioning category in the past two years. As a region that historically has had little need for A/C even in its warmest seasons, the amenity is becoming increasingly crucial for rental communities. Across the U.S., extreme heat was the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in 2022, according to the National Weather Service. With temperatures rising each year, PNW metros like Portland and Seattle are shifting gears.
The number of Seattle rental units with A/C has nearly doubled in the last six years alone. Just 21% included primary air conditioning in 2015, while 41% of units had A/C in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Some other apartment features that respondents across the country indicated an interest in include in-unit washer/dryers (93%), high-speed internet access (90%), soundproof walls (88%), and walk-in closets (87%).
To get access to the full 2024 Renter Preferences Survey Report, visit nmhc.org
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | May 9, 2024
Hotels now account for over one-third of adaptive reuse projects
For the first time ever, hotel to apartment conversion projects have overtaken office-to-residential conversions.
MFPRO+ News | May 8, 2024
Multifamily rent growth approaches peak levels in April 2024
In its latest multifamily report, Yardi Matrix finds that the national average rent has increased for the second month in a row.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | May 6, 2024
Top 10 trends in affordable housing
Among affordable housing developers today, there’s one commonality tying projects together: uncertainty. AEC firms share their latest insights and philosophies on the future of affordable housing in BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
AEC Tech | Apr 30, 2024
Lack of organizational readiness is biggest hurdle to artificial intelligence adoption
Managers of companies in the industrial sector, including construction, have bought the hype of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative technology, but their organizations are not ready to realize its promise, according to research from IFS, a global cloud enterprise software company. An IFS survey of 1,700 senior decision-makers found that 84% of executives anticipate massive organizational benefits from AI.
AEC Innovators | Apr 15, 2024
3 ways the most innovative companies work differently
Gensler’s pre-pandemic workplace research reinforced that great workplace design drives creativity and innovation. Using six performance indicators, we're able to view workers’ perceptions of the quality of innovation, creativity, and leadership in an employee’s organization.
MFPRO+ News | Apr 12, 2024
Greystar becomes top apartment owner, manager, and developer in 2024
One firm set records for this year’s National Multifamily Housing Council Top 50 roundup of multifamily firms. Greystar now sits at number one in the NMHC’s lists for top apartment owner, manager, and developer in 2024.
K-12 Schools | Apr 10, 2024
Surprise, surprise: Students excel in modernized K-12 school buildings
Too many of the nation’s school districts are having to make it work with less-than-ideal educational facilities. But at what cost to student performance and staff satisfaction?
Multifamily Housing | Apr 9, 2024
March reports record gains in multifamily rent growth in 20 months
Asking rents for multifamily units increased $8 during the month to $1,721; year-over-year growth grew 30 basis points to 0.9 percent—a normal seasonal growth pattern according to Yardi Matrix.
Retail Centers | Apr 4, 2024
Retail design trends: Consumers are looking for wellness in where they shop
Consumers are making lifestyle choices with wellness in mind, which ignites in them a feeling of purpose and a sense of motivation. That’s the conclusion that the architecture and design firm MG2 draws from a survey of 1,182 U.S. adult consumers the firm conducted last December about retail design and what consumers want in healthier shopping experiences.
Industry Research | Apr 4, 2024
Expenses per multifamily unit reach $8,950 nationally
Overall expenses per multifamily unit rose to $8,950, a 7.1% increase year-over-year (YOY) as of January 2024, according to an examination of more than 20,000 properties analyzed by Yardi Matrix.
