Florida has been named the worst state in the country for apartment renters, according to an April 13 study by ConsumerAffairs, a consumer insights group based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The ranking is attributed to a combination of high rents, lack of tenant protections, and significant cost burdens on households—even as the state reports one of the highest apartment vacancy rates nationwide.
The findings highlight ongoing concerns about affordability for Florida’s renters. With a median monthly rent of $1,669—eighth-highest in the United States—Floridians are spending about 37.4 percent of their income on rent. This makes them the most cost-burdened renters in the nation.
ConsumerAffairs said that Florida does not provide benefits commonly found in other states such as limits on lease application fees or regulations on how landlords can increase rents. There are also no just-cause eviction requirements or rent-stabilized apartments available to tenants.
Despite these challenges, supply is not considered an issue: Florida’s vacancy rate stands at 7.6 percent, which is sixth highest nationally according to ConsumerAffairs’ analysis. In South Florida—the state’s largest metropolitan region—rent increases have slowed and asking rents have declined for nearly three years straight; however, many residents remain priced out and some are leaving for more affordable areas elsewhere in the country.
Recent data shows Miami-Dade County lost over 10,000 residents from July last year to July this year amid rising costs and workforce departures—a trend that has raised concerns about support for key local industries such as hospitality. Meanwhile, developers who responded to earlier demand with rapid construction now face oversupply: CoStar Group data shows a record number of new units delivered last year with many remaining unleased.
While legislation like Florida’s Live Local Act aims to boost workforce and affordable housing construction statewide—with 3,200 units completed under its provisions since its passage—most new developments continue to target higher-end markets rather than address broader affordability needs.
