Renters Need Look No Further Than McKinney, Study Says

Renters looking for that sweet spot between affordability and satisfaction with community might want to consider D-FW’s own McKinney, which recently snagged the top spot as the best city in the United States for renters to live.

According to RentCafe’s 2025 ranking, the growing Collin County suburb struck the right balance among overarching factors like cost of living and housing, economic opportunity, and quality of life. Underlying those broad categories were 20 metrics, such as average apartment size, share of high-end units, job growth, school ratings, and air quality.

With an estimated population of over 220,000 at the start of the year, McKinney has seen tremendous growth over the past quarter century, quadrupling the number of residents in just a generation. While all that growth has ruffled some feathers over the transformation of what was once a small suburban town at the very edge of the metroplex, it’s come with plenty of new amenities and a plethora of job and housing opportunities.

“McKinney continues to be recognized as one of the best places to live, and this latest ranking highlights what our residents already know: our community offers a strong quality of life, welcoming neighborhoods, and a well-rounded lifestyle,” said Mayor Bill Cox in a statement to CandysDirt.com.

“Renters and homeowners alike see the value in calling our city home. We are proud to receive continued recognition that reinforces the unique character and appeal of McKinney,” he added.

Multifamily housing development appears to be meeting the city’s growing needs, with a little over a third of McKinney’s existing stock comprising new builds. Additionally, 83% of units are classified as high-end. Some 36.7% of households in McKinney rent.

The city’s permit data gives a hint at the scale of multifamily activity in recent years. In 2022, the city clocked 2,251 units and a construction valuation of $339 million. In 2023, permits were filed for projects totaling 3,168 units valued at $484 million. Last year, though, permitting slowed to 1,600 units valued at $207 million.

Some of the draws McKinney can boast include its lower-than-average cost of living (-2.5%), seemingly unencumbered job growth, and its relatively good public school district. Residents can also enjoy plenty of green space with over 40 parks, a number of hike-and-bike trails, and Towne Lake.

While no other North Texas city cracked the top 10 (Plano placed No. 11), Austin and Round Rock made the list at No. 4 and No. 8, respectively. Notably, every city to rank in the top 10 is located in the South. Going down the list, the first city to appear that isn’t in a southern state is Gilbert, Arizona, at No. 12, followed by Boise, Idaho, at No. 14.