Gen Z Renters: What Rent Will Cost You in These 7 Arizona Cities

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Generation Z is coming of age, working, setting out into the world and driving rental demand, according to a recent study by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Not only is Gen Z almost as big a generation as the biggest generation, millennials, they’re still in their early income-earning years, thus most of them don’t have the income to afford to buy a home, leaving them to rent.

Gen Zers may also have the advantage of having not yet started families, which makes them more mobile; so they can move to affordable yet bustling places, such as Arizona, where rental prices are still low in some cities.

GOBankingRates recently looked at the average apartment rent across the U.S. to find the cheapest cities to rent. While Arizona has a reputation as a place for retirees, the rent in the following seven Arizona cities should appeal to Gen Zers too.

Phoenix

In the capital city of Phoenix, where the household median income is $72,092, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $884 and an average benefit for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,047.

Tucson

In Tucson, which sits on the Santa Cruz River and Rillito River in the base of five mountain ranges, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $908. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,165.

Mesa

Mesa is a popular city situated within the beautiful Sonoran Desert and the Tonto National Forest. All that beauty is still affordable, because the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,210. If you can find a roommate, it will be cheaper to rent a two-bedroom apartment, which runs around $1,361.

Chandler

In Chandler, Arizona’s fourth-largest city, the median household income is almost $100,000, so this may be a great place for Gen Zers to build a career. The average rent is still semi-affordable, with a one-bedroom apartment at around $1,405 and a two-bedroom apartment around $1,584.

Gilbert

Gilbert is situated in the Valley of the Sun, very close to Phoenix. Gen Zers who move here can find an average rent for a one-bedroom apartment at $1,476, and $1,612 for an average two-bedroom apartment. It also has a super high livability score of 89.

Glendale

Glendale is a city full of opportunities for work and play. Here, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,157 and average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,292.

Scottsdale

In Scottsdale, which is also in the Sonoran Desert and close to Phoenix, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,495. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is a bit higher at $1,758.

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