One million more U.S. renters were living alone in 2021 than in 2016. That's a 6.7% increase, and makes solo renters the fastest growing renter demographic, according to RentCafe.

The share of renters living with roommates grew by 5.9% while the share of renters living with family fell 4.5% between 2016 and 2021, RentCafe found. The apartment search website analyzed the latest data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series across 260 U.S. metropolitan areas to determine who was living with whom.

Salt Lake City takes the top spot with the fastest growth in solo renters from 2016 to 2021. That population jumped by over 10,000 people, or 25%, over the five-year period.

Living alone has its perks. You have free rein over otherwise common spaces like the bathroom and kitchen, and you can choose an interior design aesthetic that matches your personality. But it often comes at a steep cost. 

While you might be able to score an affordable one-bedroom or studio apartment, you're on the hook for the entire rent bill — plus utilities, groceries and household costs that you might otherwise split with a roommate or partner.

It makes sense, then, that solo renters appear to prefer lower cost-of-living areas. Seven of the 10 cities RentCafe identified with the largest solo renter population growth from 2016 to 2021 are in the South. Four are in Texas. 

Here's where solo renter populations have grown the fastest:

1. Salt Lake City, Utah

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 10,031
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 25%
• Share of total renter population: 15%

2. McAllen, Texas

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 3,848
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 24%
• Share of total renter population: 8%

3. Austin, Texas

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 27,413
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 24%
• Share of total renter population: 18%

4. San Antonio, Texas

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 22,375
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 22%
• Share of total renter population: 15%

5. Charlotte, North Carolina

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 22,973
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 20%
• Share of total renter population: 16%

6. Fresno, California

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 6,589
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 20%
• Share of total renter population: 9%

7. Jacksonville, Florida

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 12,801
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 19%
• Share of total renter population: 16%

8. Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 7,598
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 17%
• Share of total renter population: 19%

9. Dallas, Texas

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 55,498
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 16%
• Share of total renter population: 15%

10. Raleigh, North Carolina

• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by number: 9,497
• Change in solo renters 2016-2021, by percentage: 16%
• Share of total renter population: 16%

In some places, it doesn't take that many renters to have a notable impact. McAllen, Texas, added fewer than 4,000 solo renters to its count between 2016 and 2021, but percentage-wise that population grew by 24%. Even given the rapid growth, solo renters make up just 8% of McAllen's total renter population.

On the other hand, two cities RentCafe analyzed with some of the slowest solo renter population growth from 2016 to 2021 — Philadelphia and Indianapolis — are among those with the largest shares of renters who live alone. Philadelphia saw a 13% increase, while Indianapolis saw a 12% increase. But renters living alone make up 20% of all renters in each of these cities.

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