I’ve moved rentals nearly every 2 years. Turns out in Phoenix, that’s pretty common

Whether it’s due to finances or life changes, young renters are moving frequently in Phoenix and the rest of the US.  

This story first appeared in Rent Check PHX, a biweekly newsletter made for Phoenix renters, written by someone who’s lived it. Sign up for it here.

This October marked the start of something unusual for me: a third consecutive year in one rental. Since I started college here in 2013, I haven’t lived anywhere for more than two years at a time. 

There are many reasons I’ve moved. At ASU, I got placed in different dorms each year. After college, I left one spot after two years because I moved in with my partner. We left our first apartment/house/condo together after one year because it was awful—goodbye, cockroaches and terrible neighbors. We left the next place we called home after two years to move in with my partner’s parents due to financial reasons. Now, I love the downtown Phoenix condo we’re in, and I hope I get to stay here longer. 

I always wondered if how often I moved was unusual, but according to a new RentCafe.com report, I’m one of many renters frequently finding a new place to call home. In the Phoenix metro area, 46% of renters were classified as “high mobility,” meaning they moved within two years of signing a lease. From 2018 to 2023, the latest data included in the report, that percentage of renters rose by about 2%. 

Compared to other US metros, Phoenix came in at No. 25 for RentCafe’s “move-easy index,” which took all of those numbers into account. Tucson wasn’t far behind at No. 28. The cities that scored the highest were Austin, Texas; Provo, Utah; and Charleston, South Carolina. 

The report pointed out economic factors that likely influenced people’s frequent moving, which included pandemic job losses, the “Great Resignation,” and post-pandemic economic recovery.

It may come as no surprise that Gen Z renters moved more frequently than other generations. Over 70% of Gen Z survey respondents had moved into their current residence within the past two years. For millennials, it was 43%, 27% for Gen X, and 20% for Boomers. I’m technically on the cusp of Gen Z and millennial (although I identify more with the latter), and it makes sense to me that it’s us younger generations going through more changes that lead to frequent moving. 

With my hopping around, I’ve learned to not get too attached to one place, because you never know what your landlord will decide to do when it’s time to renew your lease. I tend to leave the walls of my rentals pretty bare because I never want to deal with filling in holes or repainting when it’s time to leave. I’ve also concluded that even if your neighbors are not staying put for long, it’s worth it to try to get to know them since they can turn a place you love into one you can’t stand. 

I’ve learned to see the pros of moving on a regular basis, including variety in routine, potential savings on rent, and a reason to go through your stuff and downsize. But I’ve definitely felt the cons: the stress of starting over, the costs of moving, and the time and energy it takes to relocate. 

So if you’ve moved a lot and had any tough feelings about it, know you’re not alone—you’re one of many Phoenix renters trying to figure things out! 

MORE: Renting a new place in Phoenix? Here’s how to throw a successful moving party