Lower-Priced Rentals See 19.9% Rent Growth Since 2019, Highlighting Affordability Issues
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 15 2026
0mins
Should l Buy NWS?
Source: Newsfilter
- Rent Growth Trend: From December 2019 to December 2025, the median rent for lower-priced rentals increased by 19.9%, while the overall median rent rose only 16.9%, indicating heightened pressure on low-income renters.
- High-End Market Declines: Despite a persistent national rent decline, the 0.7% drop in December 2025 was the smallest since 2021, with larger markdowns in the high-end market exacerbating rent pressures for lower-priced rentals.
- Market Disparities: Cities like Boston and Nashville saw significant increases in the 25th percentile rent as a share of the median, rising by 7.0 and 6.8 percentage points respectively from 2019 to 2025, indicating a heavier burden on low-income renters in these markets.
- Intensified Rental Competition: Higher-income renters are opting to continue leasing due to concessions and slower price growth in the high-end market, resulting in intensified competition for lower-priced rentals and further narrowing options for low-income tenants.
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Analyst Views on NWS
About NWS
News Corporation is a diversified media and information services company. Its Digital Real Estate Services segment consists of the Company’s interest in REA Group and Move. REA Group is a digital media business specializing in property and property-related services on its Websites and mobile apps. Move is a provider of digital real estate services in the United States and primarily operates Realtor.com, a real estate information, advertising and services platform, its referral-based services, online tools and services to do-it-yourself landlords and tenants. Its Dow Jones segment includes Dow Jones, a global provider of news and business information, which distributes its content and data through a variety of media channels. Its Book Publishing segment consists of HarperCollins, a consumer book publisher with operations in 15 countries. Its News Media segment consists of News Corp Australia, News UK and the New York Post and includes The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, among others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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