U.S. single-family rental (SFR) prices increased 1.8% year over year in July 2026, marking the fifth consecutive month of accelerating rent growth, according to Cotality's latest Single-Family Rent Index.
Monthly rent growth reached 0.4%, signaling a return toward more typical seasonal patterns after nearly a year of below-trend growth. However, annual growth remained below the 2.3% increase recorded in July 2025 and historical averages.
Rent performance continued to vary across price tiers. Higher-priced single-family rentals increased 2.6% annually, while lower-priced rentals rose just 0.6%. Cotality noted that despite the recent divergence, lower-priced rents have still recorded greater cumulative growth over the past five years.
Detached rentals slightly outperformed attached rentals, with annual growth of 1.9% versus 1.7%.
Regional differences remained significant. Chicago led major markets with 5.0% annual rent growth, followed by Detroit at 3.7%, Philadelphia at 3.5%, and New York at 3.3%. Houston recorded the slowest growth among major markets at 0.2%, while four Florida markets posted annual declines.
The latest figures point to a gradual normalization of SFR rent growth, offering important signals for SFR owners and operators, BTR developers, and multifamily investors as they evaluate rental demand, pricing strategies, and market conditions heading into the remainder of 2026.
Source: Cotality, original research
