News Summary

As California enters 2025, renters are choosing to stay in their apartments longer, with a median stay of 33 months—18% longer than the national average. The low vacancy rate of 5.1% makes it challenging for those looking to move, causing many to reconsider lease renewals. Despite high demand with units receiving about 10 viewings, only 51% of renters opt to renew their leases. Regions vary, with Eastern Los Angeles County experiencing the longest average stays and Western L.A. the shortest, indicating a complex rental landscape influenced by supply and demand factors.

California Renters Are Sticking Around Longer!

As we kick off 2025 in beautiful California, there’s some interesting news brewing in the rental market! With plenty of sunshine and gorgeous beaches, more and more people are choosing to stay in their rented homes for a longer time. Recent reports highlight that California renters have a median stay of 33 months in their apartments. That’s a notable 18% longer than the national average of 28 months!

The Numbers Speak Volumes

The main reason for this extended stay? Well, it seems the Golden State has a bit of a housing crunch going on! As of early 2025, only 5.1% of apartments in California were vacant, making it quite the challenge for those looking to move. In comparison, the national vacancy rate sits at around 6.7%. When you look closer at the numbers, California is coming in hot with five of its markets ranked among the 25 hardest to rent in the country!

Orange County – No. 14
Silicon Valley – No. 16
Eastern Los Angeles County – No. 17
San Diego – No. 22
Central Valley – No. 24

What’s the Situation on the Ground?

If you’re hunting for a rental, you might want to buckle up! The typical vacant unit in California gets about 10 viewings. That’s three more than the national average, which only sees around seven showings. It’s clear that demand is high, and navigating this market can feel like a marathon rather than a sprint.

Interestingly, lease renewal rates tell a different story here. Only 51% of renters in California decide to renew their leases, which is significantly lower than the national average of 63%. So, while people are sticking around longer, more and more are also weighing their options and considering moving on.

Spotlight on Regions

When we dig deeper, we see some fascinating differences across regions. Eastern Los Angeles County takes the cake with the longest average stay of a whopping 40 months and a tight 4% vacancy rate. Not too far behind, North L.A. County/Ventura County has renters hanging around for an average of 36 months with a 54% lease renewal rate.

On the other hand, Western L.A. County has the shortest average stay of just 30 months, where it seems many folks prefer to test the waters elsewhere. Interestingly, only 42% of them end up renewing their leases.

What About New Rentals?

California’s rental supply isn’t quite keeping pace with the growing demand. Nationwide, there are about 75 new rentals added per 10,000 existing units, but California only slightly exceeds that in Silicon Valley where they boast 93 new units added per 10,000. Other regions are lagging significantly, with areas like Orange County adding the fewest new rentals at just 15 units per 10,000 existing ones.

Wrap Up

This overall dynamic paints a pretty clear picture about the Californian rental landscape. A hot market leads to longer stays, yet also an overwhelming search process, especially in the aftermath of disasters like the January wildfires, which have displaced many residents. It looks like California renters are here for the long haul, navigating a rental market that remains as sunny and complicated as the state itself!

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Author: HERE Anaheim

Tagged California economy, California housing crisis, California housing market, California housing policies, California real estate, California weather updates

California Renters Are Staying Longer Amid Housing Crunch