The Indicator from Planet Money · Tuesday, July 7, 2026
According to Zillow Senior Economist Kara Ing, 2026 is a renter's market due to a surge in apartment construction outpacing demand. Nationally, rent increases have slowed, with some data even showing a decrease, and wages are growing faster than rents, creating a favorable environment for renters.
“Yeah, so it's 2026 and renters, this is your year. It's a renter's market right now.”
“The US has recently gone through an apartment construction boom. In 2024, the US built more than 600,000 units. That's the most in decades.”
“There are a lot of apartment buildings hitting the market all at once and property managers are trying to fill it. And they're doing it with freebies.”