I
n the city that never sleeps, renters are holding on for dear life. While the national average renter typically stays put for 28 months, New Yorkers are clinging to their apartments with a ferocity that's unmatched elsewhere. According to RentCafe's recent report, which analyzed early-2025 rental market trends in 139 US markets, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, the Big Apple's renters are staying longer than ever.

    Doug Ressler, manager of business intelligence at Yardi Matrix, attributes this phenomenon to a perfect storm of low supply and high demand. "Folks are staying longer in their apartments because interest rates are making it tough for people to afford housing, and there just aren't enough affordable options out there," he said.

    The numbers tell the tale: in Manhattan, renters are averaging 38 months (or nearly three years) in their apartments, while those in Queens are holding on for a whopping 51 months (4.25 years). Brooklyn renters fall somewhere in between, with an average stay of 42 months (3.5 years).

    As the prime renting season heats up, expect the competition to get even fiercer. With bidding wars erupting across the city and a majority of renters renewing their leases or searching for new apartments come late summer, it's no wonder New Yorkers are hesitant to let go.

    The data also reveals that average lease lengths in the three boroughs range from 14 to 15 months – a testament to the enduring appeal of this city. "There's still a housing gap, and it's taken over a decade to create," Ressler noted. "It's not going to be solved anytime soon, so people are going to keep renting longer."

    In New York City, where community is built around shared experiences like pizza joints and neighborhood hangouts, renters aren't just holding on for the sake of convenience – they're staying because this city has become a part of them. As Ressler put it, "They want to be able to go get that pizza where they always go."