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
Industry Research | Apr 4, 2022
Nonresidential Construction Spending Drops Slightly in February, Says ABC
National nonresidential construction spending was down 0.1% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau
Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 28, 2022
Is your firm a reconstruction sector giant?
Is your firm active in the U.S. building reconstruction, renovation, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse markets? We invite you to participate in BD+C's inaugural Reconstruction Market Research Report.
Industry Research | Mar 28, 2022
ABC Construction Backlog Indicator unchanged in February
Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator remained unchanged at 8.0 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 21 to March 8.
Industry Research | Mar 23, 2022
Architecture Billings Index (ABI) shows the demand for design service continues to grow
Demand for design services in February grew slightly since January, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Industry Research | Mar 17, 2022
Construction input prices rise 2.6% in February, says ABC
Construction input prices increased 2.6% in February compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today
Museums | Mar 16, 2022
Unpacking the secrets to good museum storage
Museum leaders should focus as much design attention on the archives as the galleries themselves, according to a new white paper by Erin Flynn and Bruce Davis, architects and museum experts with the firm Cooper Robertson.
Codes and Standards | Mar 10, 2022
HOK offers guidance for reducing operational and embodied carbon in labs
Global design firm HOK has released research providing lab owners and developers guidance for reducing operational and embodied carbon to meet net zero goals.
Industry Research | Mar 9, 2022
Survey reveals five ways COVID-19 changed Americans’ impressions of public restrooms and facilities
Upon entering the third year of the pandemic, Americans are not only more sensitive to germs in public restrooms, they now hold higher standards for the cleanliness, condition and technology used in these shared spaces, according to the annual Healthy Handwashing Survey™ from Bradley Corporation conducted in January.
Codes and Standards | Mar 7, 2022
Late payments in the construction industry rose in 2021
Last year was a tough one for contractors when it comes to getting paid on time.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 4, 2022
221,000 renters identify what they want in multifamily housing, post-Covid-19
Fresh data from the 2022 NMHC/Grace Hill Renter Preferences Survey shows how remote work is impacting renters' wants and needs in apartment developments.