US Rental Demand Rises 19.2% as High Borrowing Costs Push Buyers to Rent, Zillow Says

• Zillow's Oct. 15, 2026, report showed U.S. rental demand rose 19.2% year over year as elevated borrowing costs deterred homebuyers.
• Typical U.S. rent reached $1,932 a month in September, up 2.7% from a year earlier.
• New homebuyers' typical monthly payment climbed 5% to $3,037, nearly twice the pace of rent growth.
• Single-family rental demand increased 21.6%, versus 10.1% for multifamily rentals, highlighting stronger demand for houses.
• San Jose led rental demand growth at 82.5%; San Francisco recorded the fastest rent growth at 11.8%.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Zillow Group Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief via PR Newswire (Ref. ID: 202610150800PR_NEWS_USPR_____SF73098) on October 15, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.