Although high and rising rents often are associated with big coastal states such as New York or California, new data shows that states once considered more affordable are seeing major rent hikes.
A new analysis from Premier Timber Frame Builders – based on data from Zillow’s Observed Rent Index, which tracks prices for both apartment units and single-family rental homes nationwide — shows that average monthly rents are climbing in the Midwest and portions of the South.
West Virginia saw the largest increase in average rent from 2024 to 2025, a 6% jump over the past year, followed by Minnesota, Missouri and Illinois, all of which saw rent increases above 5%. Other states rounding out the top 10 include Mississippi, Kansas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and Connecticut…