Tuesday, July 28, 2015

In our last segment, I dug into the Apaprtmentlist.com's annual study of renter satisfaction, examining some of the top and bottom cities across the nation as ranked in the survey. 

Apartment List’s study evaluates cities nationwide across multiple metrics to determine where renters are most satisfied, as well as what key factors drive satisfaction. For example, renters were asked if they felt the city’s economy was on the right track, how they felt about local crime and safety, or how likely they were to recommend the city to friends and family.

The highest ranking for overall economic factors were the contiguous neighboring states of Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Iowa, all hitting the survey's A+ button. While Connecticut, New Jersey, Alabama and Idaho all scored an F.

The second most important for city dwellers according to survey organizers, was satisfaction with safety and low crime rates; however, nationwide, only 53 percent of renters were either satisfied or very satisfied with their local safety and crime rates, according to the site.

At the state level, Connecticut and another sprawling New England state - Maine - scored and F for responses on safety and crime, along with New Mexico and Nevada. While Idaho, Utah, Kansas, Iowa, and Alabama all nabbed A+ grades in the safety and crime rate category.

States rating best overall among renters for schools were not very plentiful, either. The A+ scores went to Utah, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana - the highest category score for the latter two states. Connecticut, New York, Maine and New Mexico each bottomed out receiving an F grade on education from renters surveyed.

Three of those four states, save for New Mexico, similarly hit the skids on dissatisfaction with state and local taxes, with Maine, New York and Connecticut all scoring an F. Conversely, when it came to taxes, renters gave an A+ to Nevada, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, and the 'Live Free or Die' State of New Hampshire.

For more information, especially if you are a renter, or planning to relocate, visit apartmentlist.com/survey

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