Report: Detroit renters cite affordability, jobs as reasons for moving

Renters generally don’t stay in one place for a long time. Many choose to rent knowing that they might be moving to a different city or state altogether. A new report from Apartment List breaks down the reasons why renters in Detroit (and cities around the country) might be leaving.

Apartment List surveyed about 24,000 renters across the country, asking if they plan on moving to a different city and if so, why? Some of the reasons were pretty consistent across the board, including Detroit’s two biggest factors.

Although Detroit rent is affordable compared to other big cities, rent has gone up within the city over the past few years. Affordability ranked as the top factor in renters deciding to move, with job opportunities coming in second. Third on the list was safety.

Apartment List

The report found that 81% of Detroit renters planned on relocating, which seems a little high. But Milwaukee and Cleveland also had about 80% of renters planning to relocate. The top destinations for relocation were Chicago, LA, and Orlando. In state, the top relocation city for Detroit residents is Ann Arbor.

Other big cities like New York, San Francisco, and Boston had a high amount of renters planning to leave, as many move for jobs after college and plan to settle down somewhere more affordable later.

The cities with the highest amounts of renters planning on settling in their city were San Antonio, Louisville, and Houston, with a good cost of living, nice weather, and school quality as some of the top reasons to stay.

The full report can be read here.