Gen Zs are giving large urban areas a much-needed glow-up, ramping up rental activity in some of the most sought-after markets in the country. According to RentCafe’s latest analysis of 3.2 million rental applications, Zoomers are now the most active renter generation, making up more than a quarter of apartment seekers nationwide.
Denver is getting much attention from this young and tech-savvy cohort, emerging as the #1 trendiest Gen Z city in Colorado. The Mile-High City saw the highest increase in the share of Zoomer applications logged in the state, further establishing its status as an up-and-coming Gen Z hub.
Here are the highlights:
- After a one-year hiatus back home or in their college towns, Gen Z renters are bringing new life into Denver. The city recorded a 29% spike in the share of rental applications submitted by this young generation, who was the primary force behind Denver’s rental activity.
- Paving their way to becoming a noticeable presence in the Mile-High’s apartment market, last year, Zoomers accounted for almost a third of the city’s renters, significantly more than in 2020, when the share of Gen Zs reached 22%.
- Millennial renters are slowly losing majority, while Gen Z takes a larger and larger portion of the market.Rental requests submitted by Millennials steadily decreased, going from 58% in 2020 to 52% by 2021.
- With 66% of its renters being no older than 25, Boulder is home to the second-largest share of Gen Zs nationwide. Last year, this Colorado college town was crowned the top Gen Z favorite hub, as shown by our previous report, a title that now belongs to Davis, CA. The California city boasts a 69% share of Zoomers, thanks to a 1.1% YoY uptick in enrolment at The University of California.