Ranked: America’s 20 Best Cities To Live If You’re A Renter For 2018

It turns out that Madison, Wisconsin is the best city to live in the U.S. if you’re a renter for 2018, according to a recent report from SmartAsset. Madison topped the list of nearly 96 cities in the United States as the best place for renters. Who knew?

Boston, Massachusetts and Austin, Texas have bragging rights to the number two and three spots, respectively. Lincoln, Nebraska (4th) beat out the likes of Arlington, Virginia (5th), Minneapolis, Minnesota (6th), St. Paul, Minnesota (7th), San Francisco, California (8th), Jersey City, New Jersey (9th), and Spring Valley, Nevada (10th), who rounded out the top ten cities.

To determine cities where renters have it pretty good at the moment, the website looked at data for 96 cities, comparing them across 7 different metrics: average commute time, crime rate, the density of entertainment establishments, eviction rate, percent of housing stock dedicated to renting, rent-to-income ratio, and unemployment rate.

America’s 20 best cities to live if you’re a renter for 2018:

1. Madison, Wisconsin
Eviction rate: 0.57
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 49%
Unemployment rate: 2.9%

2. Boston, Massachusetts
Eviction rate: 1.3
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 48%
Unemployment rate: 3.6%

3. Austin, Texas
Eviction rate: 0.98
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 46%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%

4. Lincoln, Nebraska
Eviction rate: 2.3
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 45%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%

5. Arlington, Virginia
Eviction rate: 0.86
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 41%
Unemployment rate: 3.3%

6. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Eviction rate: 0.83
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 45%
Unemployment rate: 3.5%

7. St. Paul, Minnesota
Eviction rate: 0.64
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 45%
Unemployment rate: 3.8%

8. San Francisco, California
Eviction rate: 0.25
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 37%
Unemployment rate: 3.2%

9. Jersey City, New Jersey
Eviction rate: 0.01
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 45%
Unemployment rate: 3.8%

10. Spring Valley, Nevada
Eviction rate: 1.7
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 46%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%

11. Glendale, California
Eviction rate: 0.48
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 58%
Unemployment rate: 5%

12 (TIE). New York, NY
Eviction rate: 1.61
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 51%
Unemployment rate: 4.5%

12 (TIE). Raleigh, North Carolina
Eviction rate: 3.79
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 43%
Unemployment rate: 4.2%

14. San Diego, California
Eviction rate: 0.58
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 52%
Unemployment rate: 4.4%

15. Lubbock, Texas
Eviction rate: 0.3
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 45%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%

16. Seattle, Washington
Eviction rate: 0.22
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 43%
Unemployment rate: 3.6%

17. Nashville, Tennessee
Eviction rate: 3.42
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 43%
Unemployment rate: 3.3%

18. Henderson, Nevada
Eviction rate: 3.24
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 40%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%

19 (TIE). Long Beach, California
Eviction rate: 1.34
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 50%
Unemployment rate: 5%

19 (TIE). Omaha, Nebraska
Eviction rate: 3.87
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 46%
Unemployment rate: 3.5%

21. Irving, Texas
Eviction rate: 1.88
Renters who spend at least 30% of their income on rent: 36%
Unemployment rate: 4.3%